- Date
- June 17, 1993, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stoneyford, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N38EABell 206B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930617019449A
- Case key
- 28409
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 compensation for the existing wind conditions during a hover operation. A factor in the accident was the high density altitude and the gusting, variable wind conditions.
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 said that he had established a hover in a mountain landing zone and was in the process of air taxiing to a point where the cargo could be unloaded. The pilot said that a gust of wind buffeted the helicopter and the tail rotor contacted a rise in the ground. The pilot said he then lost all yaw directional control and the helicopter settled hard into a creek, resulting in a buckle to the boom and damage to the internal skid attach structure.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1993, at about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B3 helicopter, N38EA, damaged the tailboom and skid support structure during a taxi operation following landing at a remote mountain landing site near Stoneyford, California. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations by Smith Helicopters of Ukiah, California, and was on an on demand air taxi cargo flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from a second remote landing area near the accident site on the day of the mishap at about 1120 hours.
In his written report the pilot said that he had established a hover in a mountain landing zone and was in the process of air taxiing to a point where the cargo could be unloaded. The pilot said that a gust of wind buffeted the helicopter and the tail rotor contacted a rise in the ground. The pilot said he then lost all yaw directional control and the helicopter settled hard into a creek, resulting in a buckle to the boom and damage to the internal skid attach structure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38EA
- Reported as
- Bell 206B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2555
- Airframe hours
- 6,645
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Smith Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Smith Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 19, 1992 · 80 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,600 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 4,300 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N38EA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.