- Date
- July 2, 1987, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Benson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 5 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2123XBell 206L-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870702034209A
- Case key
- 25628
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
A bell helicopter 206L-3 collided with wires while maneuvering over an underground telephone cable. The plt indicated that he had just completed a 360 deg right turn at the request of the pax and was aprx 185 deg through the second turn when he struck a unmarked single strand power cable. The plt noticed a bright electrical flash in the area of the acfts windshield center post. He immediately entered autorotation at aprx 80 ft AGL and 60 KTS indicated airspeed. The terrain below the acft was a vegetated dry flat sandy wash. The helo landing hard collapsing the skid type landing gear and then rolled over on its right side. The plt also stated that he did not see the wires prior to the collision. The wires were strung across the wash with the poles masked by canyon walls on each side of the wash. The plt did not give any indication of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2123X
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51003
- Airframe hours
- 1,485
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Air Services International
- Registered owner
- Air Services International
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · July 1, 1987 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- P33 · Willcox, AZ
- Destination
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,700 total · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 104 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS, 35 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.