# NTSB FTW98FA167: Bell 206B, N7734A, Round Top, TX, April 2, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: April 2, 1998, 08:17 local (14:17 UTC) - Place: Round Top, TX - Coordinates: 30.060676, -96.690612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0607&lon=-96.6906&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20410 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98FA167 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20410/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA167 ## Probable cause The pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were fog, low ceilings, and trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, unknown - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - attempted, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, unknown - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The non-instrument rated private helicopter pilot encountered fog and low ceilings while en route on a 132 mile VFR cross country flight. Witnesses near the accident site reported observing the helicopter in a nose down attitude and hearing the sound of impact with trees. Visibility in the vicinity of the accident site was reported by several witnesses to be as low as 100 feet and as high as 1/4 of a mile. The ceiling was obscured due to fog. Residents in the area reported that fog has a tendency to form that time of the year around sunrise. Physical evidence and signatures at the accident site indicate that the helicopter impacted the trees and terrain in a 45 degree nose low attitude in a slight right turn. The accident occurred at 0807 local time and sunrise occurred at 0619. The pilot had accumulated a total of 187 flight hours. No evidence of pre-impact mechanical failure or malfunction was observed at the accident site. No anomalies were found during the investigation that could have prevented normal flight operation. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 2, 1998, at 0817 central standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N7734A, was destroyed upon impact with terrain while maneuvering near Round Top, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was fatally injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Autorotate, Inc., of Austin, Texas. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site. No flight plan was filed for the 132 mile cross country flight which originated from the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (AUS) near Austin, Texas, at approximately 0730. The Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight's destination was the Houston Hobby Airport (HOU), near Houston, Texas. The helicopter was last topped off with 50 gallons of Jet-A fuel by Austin Aero , a fixed base operator at AUS prior to its departure from Austin on the morning of the accident. Witnesses near the accident site reported the accident at 0824 on the 911 emergency line, after observing the helicopter in a nose down attitude and hearing the sound of impact with trees. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The 42-year-old private pilot was an executive with an oil exploration company in Austin, Texas. At the time he obtained his private pilot certificate, on July 9, 1997, he had accumulated a total of 93.4 hours of flight time. All of his flight experience was obtained in the Bell 206 helicopter. At the time of the accident, he had accumulated a total of 187.4 flight hours. According to the pilot's log book, which was found at the accident site, the pilot completed 6.1 hours of flight training at the Bell Helicopter Flight Training Center on February 26 and 27, 1998. Of the 6.1 hours of flight training received, 1.2 hours were obtained in a flight simulator. The pilot's last FAA Third Class medical certificate was issued on May 28, 1997, without any waivers or limitations. At the time of his physical examination, the pilot reported occasional periods in which he suffered from hay fever and allergies. A friend of the pilot stated that the pilot was in excellent shape and took very good care of his health. The friend added that he was neither a smoker nor a drinker, and further testified that the pilot "exercised on a daily basis by swimming at least a couple of miles a day." The 140 pound pilot, who was occupying the right seat, was reported to carry "approximately 40 pounds of buck shots in a bag that he normally strapped to the copilot seat" to keep the helicopter within CG limits. . AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The 1975 Bell 206B helicopter, serial number 1768, was issued an export certificate on June 27, 1975, when the airframe and engine had accumulated a total of 4.3 hours. The helicopter was partially disassembled and exported to Japan, where it was issued the registration number JA9139. The helicopter was imported back to the United States in early 1997. The helicopter's last annual inspection was completed on April 11, 1997, at 6,436.5 airframe hours. At the time of the accident, the total time on the airframe was 6,577.0 hours. The 425 horsepower Allison 250C20 engine, serial number AE-835023, had accumulated a total of 4,141 hours. The engine's "cycle counter" was found to be reading 1,745 cycles at the accident site. The helicopter was not equipped with a VOR or an ADF receiver. A panel mounted Apollo GPS was used for navigation. The helicopter was equipped with dual controls, which were installed at the time of the accident. The helicopter was not equipped with an auto pilot system. A review of the airframe and engine maintenance records by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) and an FAA inspector did not reveal evidence of any uncorrected maintenance defects prior to the flight. The owner of the helicopter reported to the IIC that there were no open maintenance discrepancies with the airframe or the engine. Additionally, the FAA inspector found the aircraft to be in compliance with applicable airworthiness directives. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Visibility in the vicinity of the accident site was reported by several witnesses to be as low as 100 feet and as high as 1/4 mile. The ceiling was reported as indefinite due to the prevailing fog. Residents in the area reported that fog has a tendency to form this time of the year around sunrise, partly due to the proximity of the Colorado River, and all the surrounding lakes. An employee of the oil company that owned the property where the accident occurred, stated that this morning weather phenomena normally lasts less than one hour. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, sunrise occurred at 0619 CDT. COMMUNICATIONS The pilot was not in radio contact with any FAA facility at the time of the accident. No records were found to support that the pilot received an FAA weather briefing prior to the flight. The helicopter was not tracked on ATC radar by Houston Center. No distress radio calls were reported to have been received from the helicopter pilot prior to the accident. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The helicopter impacted in the northeast corner of a large wooded area on slightly rolling terrain, approximately 8 feet from the edge of a open field. The accident site was surrounded by open areas, suitable for an emergency landing in 3 of the 4 quadrants around the accident site. The forested areas consisted of mature cedar, pine, and red oak trees, averaging 15 to 25 feet tall. The clear areas consisted of slightly rolling terrain covered by short grass and small bushes. The helicopter impacted the trees and terrain on a measured heading of 170 degrees, coming to rest on its side amidst the trunks of five mature trees on a heading of 130 degrees. The GPS coordinates for the point of impact were provided by the pilot of a news media helicopter as: North 30 degrees 01.681 minutes latitude and, West 96 degrees 39.594 minutes longitude. A tree trunk, approximately 15 inches in diameter, was found severed at a 45 degree angle at a point approximately 5 feet above the ground. Three other smaller trees sustained similar 45 degree cuts to their trunks. The forward section of the airframe sustained extensive crushing damage. The airframe aft of the forward bulkhead for the baggage compartment was severely damaged, but retained its integrity. The tailboom was found buckled 90 degrees downward at a point approximately 12 inches aft of the tailboom to fuselage attaching point. The number 2 section of the tail rotor drive shaft was found separated above the point where the tailboom was separated. Rub marks indicating the rotating tail rotor drive shaft contacted the tail rotor drive shaft cover were found on the inside portions of the cover at the number 3, 4, and 6 hanger bearings. Continuity was established from the tail rotor blades through the 90 degree gear box and the drive shaft, up to the point of separation. The tail rotor drive shaft discs within the "Thomas couplings," were found spread; however, none were found broken. The top portion of the vertical fin sustained minor damage, while the lower portion of the vertical fin was found crushed in an upward direction. The imprint of one of the tail rotor blades was found on the side of the crushed lower vertical fin. The right horizontal stabilizer was crushed and the left horizontal stabilizer was undamaged. The left navigation light and the rotating beacon were found undamaged. Both tail rotor blades sustained light to moderate leading edge damage and were found bent. The blades were attached to the hub, and the hub remained attached to the gear box shaft. The tail rotor pitch change mechanism was still connected and appeared to be undamaged. The tail rotor blades were found in the full right pedal position. The black rubber "bumper" at the tail rotor static stops was found in place and undamaged. Rotational damage was found on t ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7734A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7734A-1998-10-31), registration cancelled 1998-10-31, S/N 1768 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1768 - Airframe hours: 6577 - Engines: Allison 250C20 425 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Steward Ashman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 11, 1997, 140 hours before - Departed: AUS, AUSTIN, TX - Destination: HOU, HOUSTON, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 187 total, 187 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 4 knots - Visibility: 0.25 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980402005259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980402005259A), Apr 2, 1998: Bell 206B, Round Top, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Heli crashed under unknown circumstance, pilot suffered fatal inj, acft was destroyed, Round Top, TX. (.4) the non-instrument private helicopter pilot… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.