- Date
- August 19, 2003, 19:45 local (Aug 20, 2003, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mason, TX
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9877ZBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20030819028019A
- Case key
- 57730
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 with the power line. A contributing factor was the sunglare.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 3,225-hour pilot reported that he was video-filming an automobile driving westbound into the sunset. The pilot further stated that "as we continued down the highway, we came upon the second set of wires before I thought we should have. With the sun in my eyes, I did not see them until maybe a second before we impacted it." The helicopter descended in a slight nose low attitude and impacted the highway, then skidded off the road into a ditch. An examination of the helicopter by an FAA inspector who responded to the accident site revealed that the helicopter caught fire after it came to a stop and was destroyed.
Factual narrative
On August 19, 2003, about 1945 central daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N9877Z, registered to and operated by Crystal Finger Corp DBA of Liberty Hill, Texas, sustained substantial damage when it impacted power lines and the ground while maneuvering near Mason, Texas. The airline transport pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial photography flight. The flight originated from Burnet Municipal Airport-Kate Craddock Field (BMQ), near Burnet, Texas, approximately 1630, with an intermediate stop at a local field site.
On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 3,225-hour pilot stated that he was maneuvering the helicopter westward along State Highway 29 toward Mason, Texas, for the purpose of video-filming an automobile driving westbound into the sunset. There were two sets of power lines that crossed the highway in the area that the filming was to take place. The pilot further stated that "as we continued down the highway, we came upon the second set of wires before I thought we should have. With the sun in my eyes, I did not see them until maybe a second before we impacted it." After striking the wire, the pilot added, the helicopter descended in a slight nose low attitude and impacted the highway, then skidded off the road into a ditch.
An examination of the helicopter by an FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that "the helicopter caught fire after it came to a stop, due to the exhaust pipe being on the grass, and was destroyed."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9877Z
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1732
- Airframe hours
- 8,083.9
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Crystal Finger Corp DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 2003 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- BMQ · Burnet, TX
- Destination
- XS12 · Liberty Hill, TX
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- January 16, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,225 total · 725 in this make and model · 2,650 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- T82, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.