- Date
- June 17, 2018, 06:34 local (13:34 UTC)
- Place
- Orondo, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2762PBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180617008119A
- Case key
- 97493
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 power lines while maneuvering at low altitude.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, during a cherry drying flight, the helicopter climbed slowly over a small hill and then struck power lines on the other side of the hill. The helicopter subsequently made a "medium-hard" impact with a grassy area near the orchard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the helicopter pilot, during a cherry drying flight, the helicopter climbed slowly over a small hill and struck powerline wires that were on the other side of the hill. The pilot landed the helicopter, but the landing was hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2762P
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2711
- Built
- 1991
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- North Wind Aviation
- Registered owner
- San Juan Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- S10 · Chelan, WA
- Destination
- Orondo, WA
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 714.2 total · 35.2 in this make and model · 121.8 as pilot in command · 35.2 in the last 90 days · 22.5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAT, 30 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.4 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.