- Date
- March 13, 2021, 13:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place
- Laton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N161BHBell 206B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210313000219A
- Case key
- 102756
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 maintain clearance from powerlines during low-altitude maneuvering.
Findings · 2
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, while conducting an aerial application on a field, he overflew one set of powerlines, however, struck the second set of powerlines shortly after. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted terrain and came to rest on its left side substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N161BH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1675
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 20,055.3
- Engine
- Rolls Royce 250C20B, 400 hp, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Trinkle Ag Flying
- Registered owner
- Trinkle Ag Flying
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 16, 2021 · 76.8 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
- 36
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.24 inHg
- Observed at
- KHJO, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KHJO 132153Z AUTO 30010KT 10SM CLR 19/04 A3024 RMK AO2 SLP241 T01890044
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.