# NTSB WPR19TA061: Bell 206, N88HC, Yuma, AZ, January 12, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: January 11, 2019, 21:00 local (Jan 12, 2019, 04:00 UTC) - Place: Yuma, AZ - Coordinates: 32.619445, -114.645553 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6194&lon=-114.6456&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Scottsdale FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98832 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19TA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98832/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98832 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19TA061 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power transmission wires while flying at low altitude in nighttime conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Bell 206B, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Bell 206B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the nighttime visual flight rules flight, with no moon illumination, the commercial pilot was surveying a field to establish visual contact with reported power transmission wires prior to conducting an aerial application. The wires spanned the field along a west/easterly heading. While on a northerly heading, the pilot flew over the field and did not provide adequate separation from the wires. Subsequently the helicopter struck the wires at an altitude of about 30 ft above ground level and impacted terrain. ## Factual narrative On January 11, 2019, about 2100 mountain standard time, a Bell 206 B helicopter, N88HC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Yuma, Arizona. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The operator reported that the pilot had been spraying fields at night for about 2 hours. The pilot was advised of wires in a field he was about to spray, and before loading, he flew to the field to look for them. As he was flying north over the field, the helicopter collided with the east/west spanning wires that were about 30 ft above the ground. The wires wrapped around the mast, and the helicopter subsequently collided with the ground and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he never saw the wires and that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The operator reported that this accident could possibly have been prevented if the field had been surveyed during daylight hours. According to the US Naval Observatory, on the night of the accident, sunset occurred at 1752 and civil twilight occurred at 1819 mountain standard time. The moon rose at 0302 and set at 1412. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N88HC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N88HC), registered now, S/N 1576, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206 (B) - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20) (registry code 54178, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1576 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 8069 - Engines: Rolls-Royce C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 137 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 31, 2018, 7 hours before - Departed: AZ25, Somerton, AZ - Destination: AZ25, Somerton, AZ - Airport: knyl, Yuma International Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: serious; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 7, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,775 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 3,775 as pilot in command, 310 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KNYL, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190111000179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190111000179A), Jan 11, 2019: Bell 206B, Yuma, AZ, Destroyed. [privacy data omitted] Was pilot in command of N88HC, a Bell 206 that was equipped and performing aerial agricultural spraying (part 137) operations. He had… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98832. 15.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 14.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8064847&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Pilot%20Report%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12725003&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20phone%20conversation%20(Rick%20C%20Sexton)-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 982 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8131078&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20for%20WPR19TA061-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.