- Date
- August 22, 1990, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- California City, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19900822035241A19900822035242A
- Case key
- 26902
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 helicopter pilot to maintain adequate clearance from the jump aircraft. A factor in the accident was the inability of the jump aircraft pilot to maintain visual contact with the helicopter.
The failure of the helicopter pilot to maintain adequate clearance from the jump aircrat. A factor in the accident was the inability of the jump aircraft pilot to maintain visual contact with the helicopter.
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
Both aircraft were involved in a movie operation with the helicopter (N250CA) carrying a camerman. The DHC-6 (N203E) carried parachutists. The purpose of the operation was to photograph the parachutists exiting the jump aircraft. The pilot of N250CA said he was in formation with N203E and was maneuvering into camera position when the rotor blades contacted the vertical stabilizer and rudder of N203E. The pilot of N203E was not in a position to have visual contact with the helicopter.
Both aircraft were involved in a movie operation with the helicopter (N250CA) carrying a camerman. The DHC-6 (N203E) carried parachutists. The purpose of the operation was to photograph the parachutists exiting the jump aircraft. The pilot of N250CA said he was in formaton with N203E and was maneuvering into camera position when the rotor blades contacted the vertical stablilizer and rudder of N203E. The pilot of N203E was not in a position to have visual contact with the helicopter.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N250CA
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2615
- Engine
- Allison E-20-73, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Cinema Air Inc.
- Departed
- L71 · California City, CA
- Destination
- L71
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.
- Registration
- N203E
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-6
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- National Exec. Flight Ser. Inc
- Departed
- L71
- Destination
- L71
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N250CA
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 7,069 total · 882 in this make and model · 6,151 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N203E
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.