# NTSB LAX00LA343: Bell 206BIII, N90214, Ojai, CA, September 19, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 2000, 12:35 local (19:35 UTC) - Place: Ojai, CA - Coordinates: 34.509452, -119.289756 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5095&lon=-119.2898&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50306 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA343 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50306/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA343 ## Probable cause the pilot encountered a loss of tail rotor effectiveness which led to an uncontrolled rotation and subsequent hard landing. Factors were unfavorable wind conditions, density altitude, and uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - loss of tail rotor effectiveness - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - rotation - uncontrolled, pilot in command (cause) - Hard landing, landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was flying personnel to several flood control monitoring stations. After landing to the west on a ridgeline at an elevation about 5,000 feet, the pilot decided to reposition closer to the station. He hover taxied to his landing area. As the skids touched down, the pilot felt the helicopter slide to the right. He picked back up into a hover and decided to fly back to the original landing site. After applying takeoff power, he pushed the nose of the helicopter over and began to fly away downslope. The nose of the helicopter began to rotate to the right, even with full left pedal applied. The pilot reduced collective and continued downslope. As the nose continued to the right, he increased collective, and began to follow the right yaw with cyclic. He flew the helicopter to a downwind position approximately abeam his landing site. Then the nose tucked down and the tail swung to the left. He reduced collective and throttle as the helicopter crash-landed into the slope below his landing site. The air temperature was 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the density altitude was about 8,000 feet, and the winds were from 240 degrees at 5 knots. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2000, about 1235 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206BIII, N90214, was substantially damaged while attempting to takeoff from a ridgeline near Ojai, California. Aspen Helicopters, Inc., operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135. The commercial pilot was not injured; two passengers sustained serious injuries. The local charter flight departed Oxnard about 1110. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The accident coordinates were 34 degrees 30.3 minutes north latitude and 119 degrees 08.3 minutes west longitude. The pilot stated he was flying personnel to several flood control monitoring stations. One station was visited and an effort to visit a second was terminated after three attempts to land were made. This was the third station they visited, and its elevation was about 5,000 feet. After landing to the west on a ridgeline, the pilot decided to reposition closer to the station. He later determined the winds were 240 at 5 knots. He hover taxied to his landing area. As the skids touched down, the pilot felt the helicopter slide to the right. He picked back up into a hover and decided to fly back to the original landing site. After applying takeoff power, he pushed the nose of the helicopter over and began to fly away downslope. The nose of the helicopter began to rotate to the right, even with full left pedal applied. The pilot reduced collective and continued downslope. As the nose continued to the right, he increased collective, and began to follow the right yaw with cyclic. He flew the helicopter to a downwind position approximately abeam his landing site. Then the nose tucked down and the tail swung to the left. He reduced collective and throttle as the helicopter crash-landed into the slope below his landing site. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator flew by the site and noted the air temperature was 85 degrees Fahrenheit and computed the density altitude to be about 8,000 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90214](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90214-2001-04-02), registration cancelled 2001-04-02, S/N 1662 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206BIII - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1662 - Airframe hours: 15400 - Engines: Allison 250-C20B 450 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Aspen Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 28, 2000, 48 hours before - Departed: OXR, OXNARD, CA - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 3,822 total, 131 in this make and model, 2,690 as pilot in command, 82 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 10 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 700 ft overcast - Temperature: 151 °F, dew point 142 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: OXR, 17 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000919015919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000919015919A), Sep 19, 2000: Bell 206B, Ojai, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) After landing on a ridgeline site at 5000 feet, OAT 85 degrees, and winds 240 at 5 knots, the pilot decided to reposition the a/c closer to the work… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.