- Date
- September 7, 1995, 08:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place
- Castle Rock, WA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N62WBell 206L-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 15, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950907036969A
- Case key
- 42244
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
sabotage by a hunter (shooting at the helicopter with a crossbow).
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 helicopter was engaged in an aerial survey at 75 feet agl over company property, when the passengers observed a hunter on the ground tracking the aircraft with a crossbow followed by release of an arrow. The arrow impacted one of the tail rotor blades. The helicopter made a precautionary landing shortly thereafter, and inspection of the aircraft revealed substantial damage. The hunter was subsequently arrested.
Factual narrative
On September 7, 1995, approximately 0805 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206L-3, N62W, registered to/operated by Weyerhauser Corp., and being flown by an airline transport pilot, sustained substantial damage when a tail rotor-blade impacted an arrow released from a crossbow by a hunter on the ground. The accident occurred approximately 10 miles east of Castle Rock, Washington, while the aircraft was in cruise. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was in effect. The flight, which was local aerial observation, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Seattle at 0700.
The pilot and two passengers reported that while the aircraft was over-flying Weyerhauser property at 75 feet above ground, an individual on the ground was observed to track the helicopter with a crossbow and then release an arrow. The pilot and passengers felt the impact and a precautionary landing was executed shortly thereafter.
The individual, a deer hunter who fired at the rotorcraft, was subsequently apprehended and arrested.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62W
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S7343
- Engine
- Allison C 250-30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Weyerhauser Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Seattle, WA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 11,000 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KLS, 11 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.