- Date
- May 3, 1995, 21:30 local (May 4, 1995, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hamilton, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N219CTBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950503048459A
- Case key
- 38955
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 improper decision to fly at night with a night vision deficiency, and his failure to maintain clearance with trees during takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the trees and the subsequent hard landing.
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 attempted a takeoff from a tree surrounded field at night, in his personally owned helicopter. During initial climb, the main rotor blades struck trees and the pilot initiated a forced landing. The helicopter landed hard and rolled over on its side. The private pilot had accumulated about 60 hours in this make and model, with 40 hours as pilot-in-command. The pilot's last third class medical was issued 3 years prior to the accident with the restrictions, 'not valid for night flying or by color signal control.'
Factual narrative
On May 3, 1995, at 2130 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B, N219CT, was substantially damaged when it struck trees and impacted the ground during a night takeoff near Hamilton, Massachusetts. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that at 2130, after engine start and run-up, he brought his personally owned helicopter to hover. He further stated:
...I checked controllability, C.G., and began a max- performance takeoff; at approximately 30 feet AGL the main rotor made contact with a large branch from an adjacent oak tree. I lowered the collective immediately and applied right pedal (autorotation), and attempted to make a running landing in an open grassy area. At approximately 8 feet I flared, bringing the speed back to 5 to 8 knots; the helicopter made contact with the ground in a slight right yaw. The helicopter slowly tilted right and entered dynamic rollover. The main rotors made contact with the ground and threw the aircraft onto it's left side.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the helicopter had been parked in a field about 200 feet long and 150 feet wide, surrounded by trees 75 feet high.
The pilot had accumulated about 60 hours in this make and model helicopter, with 40 hours as a pilot-in-command. The pilot's last third class medical was issued May 9, 1992, with the restriction, "not valid for night flying or by color signal control."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N219CT
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2298
- Airframe hours
- 6,900
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20 B/J, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John J. Donovan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 1, 1995 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- BVY · Beverly, MA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 460 total · 60 in this make and model · 360 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BOS, 15 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.