# NTSB LAX98LA273: Bell 206B, N223HA, Salinas, CA, August 21, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 21, 1998, 06:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place: Salinas, CA
- Location: 36.6902° N, 121.6338° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Salinas, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6902&lon=-121.6338&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 43823
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA273
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43823/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA273

## Probable cause

The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the irrigation pipes which resulted in the entanglement of the skids and the subsequent rollover.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, takeoff
  - object - other
  - clearance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - landing gear,skid assembly - entangled
- Nose over, takeoff
  - dynamic rollover - encountered, pilot in command

## Analysis

The pilot lifted off from the fuel truck, but did not have enough altitude to clear the irrigation pipe in front of him.  The skids became entangled with the pipe and the aircraft nosed over.  The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident, but had just misjudged the clearance with the pipe.

## Factual narrative

On August 21, 1998, at 0630 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B, N223HA, entangled a skid in an irrigation pipe on takeoff and rolled over about 15 miles southeast of Salinas, California.  The helicopter was destroyed, and the airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.  The local area aerial application operation was conducted under 14 CFR Part 137.  The flight originated at the Salinas airport at 0500, and had made multiple landings at a support truck for additional fuel and chemical loads.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that he had set down at the truck to refuel and reload the helicopter for aerial application.  He lifted off, but did not have enough altitude to clear an irrigation pipe in front of him.  The skids became entangled with the pipe and the aircraft rolled over to the right and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude.  The aircraft then rolled over on its top left side approximately 180 degrees from the takeoff heading.  The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident, but had just misjudged the clearance with the pipe.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N223HA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Bell 206B
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 3014
- Airframe hours: 10136
- Engines: Allison 250-C20 420 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Registered owner: Helicair Ag Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 17, 1998, 8 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 9,763 total, 2,430 in this make and model, 9,627 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 59 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19980821021509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980821021509A), Aug 21, 1998: Bell 206B, Salinas, CA, Destroyed. On August 21, 1998, at 0630 hours PDT, a Bell 206B, N223HA entangled a skid in an irrigation pipe upon takeoff after refueling and reloading from an…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.