- Date
- December 15, 1994, 07:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Julian, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N37AJBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941215041679A
- Case key
- 28994
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 pilot to maintain a proper alignment during hover in a mountainous area.
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 purpose of the flight was to take some hunters into the mountains around the town of Julian. The pilot dropped off his passengers while in a hover a few feet off the ground. The helicopter drifted slightly to the right and the right skid contacted a rock outcropping. The helicopter then rolled over.
Factual narrative
On December 15, 1994, at 0730 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N37AJ, rolled over during hover in a mountainous area near Julian, California. The aircraft was operated by Civic Helicopters, Inc., of Carlsbad, California, and was on a repositioning flight after dropping off passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at the Palomar-Carlsbad airport on the day of the accident about 0630 for the purpose of taking hunters into the mountains near Julian.
In his written statement, the pilot reported that he dropped off his passengers and was in a hover a few feet off the ground. The helicopter drifted slightly to the right and the right skid contacted a rock outcropping. The helicopter then rolled over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N37AJ
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1877
- Airframe hours
- 5,997
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Civic Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Chin Y Tu
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 9, 1994 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Destination
- CRQ · CA
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
- 28
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.