- Date
- July 6, 1990, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Antonio, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3894LBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900706024389A
- Case key
- 23152
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 lineman/flight crewman not following procedures.
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.
Miscellaneous/other
Procedures/directives - not followedCause
Analysis
The helicopter was conducting a barehand live-line operation over the 345,000-volt energized power line, and was lowering the electrical lineworker/flight crewman toward the work area. The worker raised his arm which compromised the airgap, and resulted in a flashover and electrocution.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3894L
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3218
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20J, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Biscayne Helicopter, Inc.
- Registered owner
- South Seas Helicopter, Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 11, 1990 · 54 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- NONE
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 3,400 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.