- Date
- January 14, 2025, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lemoore, CA · open field near power lines
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6255NBell 206A
- 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
- 20250114000129A
- Case key
- 199544
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 power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude.
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 was conducting an aerial application flight and was transitioning to another field when the helicopter struck a power line. The pilot stated that he did not see the wires between the two fields. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6255N
- Reported as
- Bell 206A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 129
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 12,119.4
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C20B, 420 hp, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Trinkle Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Trinkle Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 2024 · 41 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 8,450 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.38 inHg
- Observed at
- KNLC, 3 nm away
- METAR
- KNLC 141856Z 10004KT 10SM CLR 12/01 A3038 RMK SLP290 RH/46 T01170006
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6255N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.