- Date
- February 10, 1992, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Ardo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3903LBell 206BIII
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920210002349A
- Case key
- 27555
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 decision to land in a plowed field made soft from winter rain shower activity.
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 stated that the purpose of the flight was to investigate the cause of an electrical power outage in the area. He had three power company patrolmen on board. After patrolling various power lines and spur connections, they came to a pole that the patrolman in the left front seat wanted to inspect more closely. After hovering near the pole for a short time patrolman asked if they could land. The pilot said he inspected the landing area, choosing a fairly level spot and touched down. As he lowered the collective, the skids sank into the soil. Stabilizing the helicopter with cyclic, he told two patrolmen on the left side to deplane. They disembarked, closing the doors. Suddenly the soil under the left rear skid tube gave way and the helicopter tipped left and to the rear, where the tail rotor struck the ground. The helicopter continued to roll left and the main rotor struck the ground. Post accident examination of the ground revealed that it was soft, recently plowed dirt moist from recent rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3903L
- Reported as
- Bell 206BIII
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3230
- Airframe hours
- 4,102
- Engine
- Allison 250C-20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Aris Helicopters, Ltd.
- Registered owner
- Aris Helicopters, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 15, 1991 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- KIC · King City, CA
- Airport
- Plowed Field
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,950 total · 800 in this make and model · 6,850 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.