- Date
- May 23, 2019, 12:25 local (17:25 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsfield, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N158HBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190523005069A
- Case key
- 99475
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 rising terrain during agricultural application operations.
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
The helicopter pilot reported that, during his third agricultural application pass over a hilly field, he quickly glanced at an instrument inside the cockpit, and the helicopter impacted terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the cabin, fuselage, and tailboom. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, during his third aerial application pass over a hilly field, he quickly glanced at his instrument inside the cockpit and the helicopter impacted terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the cabin, fuselage, and tailboom. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N158H
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2974
- Built
- 1980
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C20B, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Hlw Aviation Llc
- Registered owner
- Hlw Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- PPQ · Pittsfield, IL
- Destination
- PPQ · Pittsfield, IL
- Airport
- PPQ · Pittsfield Penstone Muni
- 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
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 24, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,155 total · 730 in this make and model · 765 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KPPQ, 2 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 724 KB 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.