- Date
- May 17, 1989, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Lewiston, ID
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5013CBell 206B III
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890517011679A
- Case key
- 41013
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 use of the helicopter's flight controls. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's misjudgement of the external load characteristics.
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 practice external load (water drop) ops, plt at controls was maneuvering for drop and failed to allow for a load swing which caused the helicopter to pitch up. Plt lowered collective and collided with terrain. Both pilots were practicing water drops during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5013C
- Reported as
- Bell 206B III
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2568
- Airframe hours
- 3,389
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Gale Wilson, doing business as Hillcrest Aircraft Co., Inc.
- Registered owner
- Hillcrest Aircraft Co, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 13, 1989 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- LWS
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,335 total · 2,956 in this make and model · 4,606 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5013C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.