- Date
- June 30, 2017, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Uniontown, KY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N60KHBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170630024009A
- Case key
- 95547
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 adequate separation from power lines, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.
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 reported that, while maneuvering low around power lines during an agricultural spray, he "pulled up," and the right spray boom contacted a power line. He added that the "fuselage pitched forward and the main rotor blade cut the tail boom off just aft of the horizontal stabilizer." Subsequently, the helicopter began to rapidly spin, and after one or two rotations, the pilot "closed the throttle which stopped the rotation" and "cushioned the impact." The fuselage and tailboom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that while maneuvering low around power lines during an agricultural spray, he "pulled up" and the right spray boom contacted a power line. He added that, the "fuselage pitched forward and the main rotor blade cut the tail boom off just aft of the horizontal stabilizer." Subsequently, the helicopter began to rapidly spin, and after 1 or 2 rotations, the pilot "closed the throttle which stopped the rotation" and "cushioned the impact." The fuselage and tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60KH
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1326
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 16,139.4
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 450 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Kash Helicopter Services LLC.
- Registered owner
- Kash Helicopter Services LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 31, 2017
- Departed
- NONE · Morganfield, KY
- Destination
- NONE · Morganfield, KY
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 30, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 500 in this make and model · 4,500 as pilot in command · 155 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KEHR, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.