- Date
- November 29, 1996, 13:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mcgregor Point, HI
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6262NBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961129036939A
- Case key
- 29694
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 failure to maintain control of the aircraft and distance from the pole.
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 helicopter was operating in mountainous terrain assisting in the construction of power lines. The helicopter was positioning the passenger near the conductor lines in preparation for a line-pull. The passenger was sitting behind the pilot in the rear seat. The passenger would physically kick the travelers into the proper position at the top of the 80-foot metal pole in preparation for a line pull to establish proper tension. According to the witnesses, the helicopter was approaching pole number 89 from the upwind side to straighten the traveler. As they aligned the traveler and moved away, the rotor wash cocked the traveler off-line again. The helicopter reapproached the pole at a speed higher than before. The helicopter skid contacted the pole 2 feet below the top and the helicopter dynamically rolled over the top of the pole. The pole entered the pilot's doorway. The pilot released all controls and braced himself against the pole during the maneuver. The helicopter severed three main conductors before colliding with the ground.
Factual narrative
On November 29, 1996, at 1330 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Bell 206B, N6262N, operated by Pacific Helicopter Tours, Inc., of Kahului, Hawaii, was substantially damaged near McGregor Point, Maui, Hawaii, during a power line construction project. The pilot and his passenger both received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the operation and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at 0630 on the morning of the accident.
According to the operator, the helicopter was operating in mountainous terrain assisting in the construction of power lines. At the time of the accident, the helicopter was positioning the passenger near the conductor lines in preparation for a line pull. The passenger was sitting behind the pilot in the rear seat. The passenger would physically kick the travelers into the proper position at the top of the 80-foot metal pole in preparation for a line-pull to establish proper tension.
According to witnesses, the helicopter was approaching pole number 89 from the upwind side to straighten the traveler. As they aligned the traveler and moved away, the rotor wash cocked the traveler off-line again. The helicopter reapproached the pole at a speed higher than before. The helicopter skid contacted the pole about 2 feet below the top and the helicopter dynamically rolled over the top of the pole. The pole entered the pilot's doorway. The pilot released all controls and braced himself against the pole during the maneuver. The helicopter severed the three main conductors before colliding with the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6262N
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 133
- Airframe hours
- 7,453
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pacific Helicopter Tours, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 20, 1996 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Mcgregor Point, HI
- 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,198 total · 117 in this make and model · 182 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OGG, 10 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.