- Date
- April 25, 1994, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Summerville, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N35BLBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940425009319A
- Case key
- 41916
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 did not maintain clearance from the wires. The overcast sky condiiton was a factor.
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 reported that shortly after take off with a load of chemical, the helicopter struck power lines. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the helicopter which collided with the terrain just beyond the wires. The pilot stated that because of the overcast sky, he did not see the wires.
Factual narrative
On April 25, 1994, at 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B, N35BL, collided with transmission wires shortly after takeoff and en route to a field for an aerial application flight near Summerville, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed and the commercial pilot received minor injuries.
The pilot reported during a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, that he had just taken off from the loading truck with a load of Pencapp chemical to spray on the nearby field. The helicopter was approximately 100 yards away from the truck and 20 feet above ground level when the helicopter struck the bottom two of three transmission wires. The pilot was unable to maintain control and the helicopter collided with the ground 100 yards beyond the wires. The pilot reported that he was aware of the wires in the area, but because of the overcast sky, he was unable to see the wires because of the grey background.
The chemical on board did spill from the tanks and was confined to a small area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35BL
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2279
- Airframe hours
- 3,869
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Rambling Rotors, doing business as Antelope Avionics
- Registered owner
- Knight Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 1994 · 35 hours before
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
- 51
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 11,000 total · 150 in this make and model · 10,800 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.