- Date
- August 30, 2000, 06:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Salinas, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N207EHBell 206B-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000830036149A
- Case key
- 50199
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 inadequate visual surveillance of the worksite to see and avoid power transmission wires.
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 pilot of the agricultural application helicopter completed chemical application at one site and then proceeded to a second application site. While setting up to begin application at the second site, the helicopter struck 12KV electrical power transmission wires without the pilot ever seeing them. He landed the helicopter and observed that the rotor pitch change links were damaged. The pilot attributed the accident to improper reconnaissance of the area prior to starting the application.
Factual narrative
On August 30, 2000, at 0615 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B-3, N207EH, was substantially damaged when the agricultural application helicopter impacted electrical power transmission lines, 5 miles west of Salinas, California. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter, operated by Helicare Ag, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 137, departed from Salinas about 0550.
The pilot reported that, after departure from the airport, he completed chemical application at one site and then proceeded to a second application site. While setting up to begin application at the second site, the helicopter struck 12KV power transmission lines without the pilot ever seeing them. The pilot landed the helicopter and observed that the rotor pitch change links were damaged. He attributed the accident to improper reconnaissance of the area prior to starting the application.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N207EH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3296
- Airframe hours
- 8,235
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Helicare Ag Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · June 26, 2000 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- SNS · CA
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,960 total · 750 in this make and model · 2,191 as pilot in command · 126 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 135 °F, dew point 129 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SNS, 5 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.