- Date
- June 17, 1999, 10:12 local (14:12 UTC)
- Place
- Tinicum, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N94WFBell 206B-III
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990617007179A
- Case key
- 46598
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 a proper altitude above the water.
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 was performing aerial application over the Delaware River. He stated that his attention was momentarily diverted, as he was looking at a flow gauge inside the cockpit. The pilot further stated that he flew too low, causing the skids to contact the water. The main rotor blades subsequently struck the water, and the helicopter came to rest in the river.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1999, about 1012 Eastern Daylight Time, a Bell 206B-III, N94WF, was substantially damaged during a collision with water at Tinicum, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that originated from Erwinna, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the aerial application flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 137.
According to the pilot, he departed from "Landing Zone 5," an open field adjacent to the Delaware River. He intended to perform aerial application for 20 minutes, and return to the landing zone. He stated that while spraying for blackfly over the Delaware River, his attention was momentarily diverted, as he was looking at a flow gauge inside the cockpit. The pilot further stated that he flew too low, causing the skids to contact the water. The main rotor blades subsequently struck the water, and the helicopter came to rest on its side, in approximately 3 feet of water, about 2 to 3 miles from the landing zone.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94WF
- Reported as
- Bell 206B-III
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2622
- Airframe hours
- 11,388
- Engine
- Allison 250 C-20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Applicators Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 17, 1999 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Erwinna, PA
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
- 54
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 10,000 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABE, 20 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.