- Date
- July 19, 2014, 05:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Salinas, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N291SHBell 206B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Case key
- 89764
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 ensure adequate clearance from ground obstacles during takeoff which resulted in loss of aircraft control.
Findings · 4
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 reported that he had landed in a field that had irrigation sprinkler pipes arranged in field rows. During takeoff and forward movement to reposition the helicopter, the right side spray boom caught on one of the sprinkler head risers which resulted in a dynamic rollover of the helicopter to the right. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he had landed in a field that had irrigation sprinkler pipes arranged in field rows. During takeoff and forward movement to reposition the helicopter, the right side spray boom caught on one of the sprinkler head risers which resulted in a dynamic rollover of the helicopter to the right. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N291SH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B (B3)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2467
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 17,586.5
- Engine
- Rolls-Royc 250-C20B, 420 lbs thrust, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- R&B Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Southern Helicopter Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 6, 2014
- Departed
- SNS · Salinas, CA
- Destination
- SNS · Salinas, 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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 20,950 total · 5,100 in this make and model · 20,950 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 330° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- ksns, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 441 KB in all.