Pilot Debrief

BELL 206B near Woodburn, OR — 2011-11-14

Final reportWPR12LA036
Sign in to save
Date
2011-11-14
Location
Woodburn, OR, USA
Airport
7S9
Aircraft
BELL 206B
Registration
N16HA
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain ground clearance while maneuvering with an external load line.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was using the helicopter to lift bundles of Christmas trees from a field to a loading zone with a 25-foot-long steel line. Shortly after one of the bundles was picked up, it came apart and fell from the line. As the pilot repositioned the helicopter to reattach the bundle, the line became snagged on an obstacle on the ground. He immediately reached for the line release switch, but the line did not detach, likely because he did not make positive contact with the switch. Before he could activate the manual backup release switch, the helicopter pitched down, descended, and collided with terrain. Postaccident examination of the primary and backup release systems revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Because the helicopter was no more than 25 feet above ground level when the line snagged, even a successful activation of the line release switch may not have prevented the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have ensured positive contact with the release switch before raising the helicopter.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

Related mishaps