- Date
- October 18, 1999, 11:22 local (18:22 UTC)
- Place
- Soda Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N2296NBell 206-B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991018029079A
- Case key
- 47598
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 failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain landing skid clearance during hover taxi, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was engaged in external load transport for an electric utility company project. After completing the external load operation, the pilot released the external load apparatus and landed. Before the engine was shut down; however, a ground crewman signaled the pilot to reposition the helicopter a short distance away. While lifting to hover taxi, the landing gear skid either stuck to the ground or hooked on an object and a dynamic rollover resulted.
Factual narrative
On October 18, 1999, at 1122 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206-B3, N2296N, was substantially damaged when the helicopter rolled on its side and impacted the ground while hover taxiing to reposition the helicopter in a remote location 7 miles northwest of Soda Springs, California. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. Westwind helicopters, Inc., operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 133. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight. No flight plan was filed.
According to the operator, the helicopter was engaged in external load transport for a Pacific Gas and Electric Company project, operating under 14 CFR Part 133. After completing the external load operation, the pilot released the external load apparatus and landed. Before the engine was shut down; however, a ground crewman signaled the pilot to reposition the helicopter a short distance away. While lifting to hover taxi, the landing gear skid either stuck to the ground or hooked on an object and the aircraft rolled over on its right side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2296N
- Reported as
- Bell 206-B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3575
- Airframe hours
- 8,065
- Engine
- Allison 250C-20J, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Registered owner
- Westwind Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 17, 1999 · 30 hours before
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,400 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 5,300 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRK, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.