Pilot Debrief

Bell 206 near Ashland, OR — 2019-01-23

Final reportWPR19LA071
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Date
2019-01-23
Location
Ashland, OR, USA
Airport
OR99
Aircraft
Bell 206
Registration
N8227J
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating weather, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and spatial disorientation leading to a loss of control.

NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to accrue flight-time to fulfill annual flight-time insurance requirements. Radar data indicate that, after departure, the pilot flew the helicopter generally to the south of the departure airport, where the helicopter made various low-level maneuvers and then began to follow a highway northward. The helicopter made several turns during the final two minutes of recorded radar data before the last recorded data point, which was near to the accident site. Examination of the wreckage found no evidence of any engine or airframe anomalies that may have contributed to the accident. At the time of the accident, weather forecasts and advisories for the accident area predicted areas of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and mountain obscuration and various cameras in the area captured images of low ceilings, fog, and obscuration. There was no record the pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing on the day of the accident. Had he obtained such a briefing, he likely would have been aware of the possibility of encountering below minimum weather conditions for helicopter operations. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot encountering IMC, subsequently becoming spatially disoriented, and losing control of the helicopter.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
VFR into IMC
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not obtain a weather briefing before the flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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