- Date
- August 7, 1990, 09:12 local (13:12 UTC)
- Place
- Athens, OH
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N49651Bell 206
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900807031539A
- Case key
- 36712
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 visually acquire and maintain clearance from the powerline(s). Contributing to the accident was the adverse weather 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
During flight, the pilot encountered weather conditions that reduced visibility to less than 1 mile. He stated that because of his reduced ground clearance and visibility, he decided to turn around and go back to better weather conditions. Moments after he made the decision, the skid of the helicopter hit a wire. The helicopter turned to the right and the tail rotor struck the wire(s). The pilot reduced power and entered an autorotation. The helicopter made approximately two and three quarter turns before contacting the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49651
- Reported as
- Bell 206
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1804
- Airframe hours
- 5,812
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Helicopter Elite Service,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Flight Sev. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 21, 1990 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- Pickerington, OH
- Destination
- CRW · Charleston, WV
- 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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,900 total · 2,215 in this make and model · 5,600 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.