- Date
- August 18, 2018, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Battle Mountain, NV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8052GBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 20, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180818018519A
- Case key
- 98112
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 the proper altitude and airspeed while flying in a canyon in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 5
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 helicopter pilot reported that, while climbing out of a canyon at 30 knots indicated airspeed, about 50 ft above ground level, he felt a "hard vibration" in the cyclic and collective controls. He then saw that the airspeed gauge was reading 0 knots and felt the helicopter being pushed down. The torque indicator rose to 120% without any cyclic or collective control input. He applied right cyclic, lowered the collective, applied right pedal to counter the torque, and turned the helicopter downslope into the wind. He applied forward cyclic to better match the downslope of the terrain and raised the collective, but the skids impacted the ground, followed by the main rotor blades. The helicopter rotated 180º to the right before coming to rest downhill on its right side. Shortly after, a postimpact fire ensued, which destroyed the helicopter. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the winds were gusting to 30 knots in the canyon and "changing direction every minute or so."
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that while climbing out of a canyon at 30 knots indicated airspeed, about 50 ft above the ground, he felt a "hard vibration" in the cyclic and collective controls. He then saw that the airspeed gauge was reading zero knots and he felt the helicopter was being pushed down. The torque indicator rose to 120% without any cyclic and collective control input. He applied right cyclic, lowered the collective, applied right pedal to counter the torque, and turned the helicopter downslope and into the wind. He applied forward cyclic to better match the downslope of the terrain and raised collective, but the helicopter impacted terrain. The skids impacted the ground first followed by the main rotor blades. The helicopter rotated 180º to the right before coming to rest downhill, on its right side. Shortly after, a post impact fire ensued. The helicopter was destroyed during the postimpact fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the winds were gusting up to 30 knots in the canyon, "changing direction every minute or so."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8052G
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4050
- Built
- 1989
- Engine
- Rolls Royve 250-C20R, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- El Aero Services Llc
- Registered owner
- El Aero Services Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BAM · Battle Mountain, NV
- Destination
- BAM · Battle Mountain, NV
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,060 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 3,975 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KBAM, 11 nm away
- METAR
- KBAM 182055Z AUTO 01008KT 7SM CLR 32/M09 A3022 RMK AO1
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.