- Date
- August 23, 2020, 19:30 local (Aug 24, 2020, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- LaVerne, CA
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N386HQBell 205
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 101857
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 delayed decision to initiate a go-around while landing in an unimproved area which resulted in a collision with debris.
Findings · 3
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 was conducting cargo and crew shuttle operations in support of firefighting operations. During the approach to a remote landing site that throughout the day had been continuously provided with dust abatement, there was significant dust and small sage type vegetation debris in the air that was kicked up from the helicopter’s rotor wash. The pilot subsequently performed a go-around. During a post-flight inspection, substantial damage to the tail rotor was discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N386HQ
- Reported as
- Bell 205 (A1)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 30086
- Built
- 1970
- Airframe hours
- 22,309.4
- Engine
- Honeywell T53 -A, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 8, 2020
- Departed
- POC · La Verne, CA
- Destination
- POC · La Verne, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- POC · Brackett Field, runway 26R, 3,661 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,477 total · 167 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- ONT, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.