- Date
- July 19, 2010, 07:55 local (11:55 UTC)
- Place
- Roseville, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N302MGBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100719043249A
- Case key
- 76688
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a known wire hazard.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the helicopter stated that he was conducting an aerial application flight over a river. He completed a site survey, noted wires in close proximity to the site, and began application at an altitude of 40 feet. The pilot stated that approximately three quarters of the way across the river, he "momentarily lost sight" of the power lines. The main rotor blades struck the power lines, and the pilot maneuvered the helicopter over a shallow water area. The helicopter lost anti-torque control and the pilot performed a hovering autorotation to the river, where it impacted rocks and rolled to the right. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, fuselage and tail boom. The pilot stated that there were no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter, and that the accident could have been prevented with a more thorough examination of the spray site and adjustment of the spray pattern.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter stated that he was conducting an aerial application flight over a river. He completed a site survey, noted wires in close proximity to the site, and began application at an altitude of 40 feet. The pilot stated that approximately three quarters of the way across the river, he "momentarily lost sight" of the power lines. The main rotor blades struck the power lines, and the pilot maneuvered the helicopter over a shallow water area. The helicopter lost anti-torque control and the pilot performed a hovering autorotation to the river, where it impacted rocks and rolled to the right. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, fuselage and tail boom. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter, and that the accident could have been prevented with a more thorough examination of the spray site and adjustment of the spray pattern.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N302MG
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2956
- Airframe hours
- 7,089
- Engine
- Rolls Royce C250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Helicopter Applicators, Inc
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Applicators, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 13, 2010
- Departed
- SEG · Selinsgrove, PA
- Destination
- SEG · Selinsgrove, PA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 12,342 total · 3,962 in this make and model · 12,225 as pilot in command · 91 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- SEG, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.