- Date
- March 11, 2008, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Oxnard, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7028JBell 206B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080311011829A
- Case key
- 67649
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 clearance with terrain during an aerial application.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was performing an aerial application on a celery crop with the skids about 24-inches above the tops of the crop. While in straight and level flight, the landing skids contacted the crop and the helicopter pitched forward. The front of the skids dug into terrain and the helicopter tumbled before it came to rest on its side. Examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom was separated. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the engine or flight control system.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he was performing an aerial application on a celery crop with the skids about 24-inches above the tops of the crop. While in straight and level flight, the landing skids contacted the crop and the helicopter pitched forward. The front of the skids dug into terrain and the helicopter tumbled before it came to rest on its side. Examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom was separated. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the engine or flight control system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7028J
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 573
- Engine
- Allison 250 C-20, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Aspen Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- OXR · Oxnard, CA
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2007
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,900 total · 2,300 in this make and model · 3,800 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- KCMA, 3 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.