Pilot Debrief

BELL 206B near Newton, TX — 2010-10-13

Final reportCEN11LA023
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Date
2010-10-13
Location
Newton, TX, USA
Aircraft
BELL 206B
Registration
N499BH
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s attempted takeoff with the fuel hose attached to the helicopter and the pilot and ground crew’s failure to accurately communicate.

NTSB narrative

The pilot landed the agricultural helicopter on a truck and remained inside the cockpit while a ground crew added chemical and fuel. After mistakenly believing that a ground crew member had signaled that it was safe to depart, the pilot lifted the helicopter off the truck only to realize that the fuel hose was still attached. The helicopter rolled to the right and off the truck. A main rotor blade impacted the ground and one of the ground crew members. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and the pilot was able to exit unassisted. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failure with the helicopter’s flight controls or engine.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot misinterpreted ground crew signal to depart while fuel hose was still attached.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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