Pilot Debrief

BELL 206B near Tamaroa, IL — 2013-07-19

Final reportCEN13LA447
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Date
2013-07-19
Location
Tamaroa, IL, USA
Aircraft
BELL 206B
Registration
N23L
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during an agricultural application maneuver.

NTSB narrative

The pilot took off on the aerial application flight, flew the helicopter about 1/4 mile to the assigned field, and completed an initial application pass. The pilot recalled that the helicopter was approaching the point at which he intended to reverse course for the next spray run; however, he did not recall the accident sequence. The accident site was located about 1/4 mile south of his planned turning point in an adjacent farm field. The pilot commented that the terrain was "flat" with corn about 8 feet tall. He also noted that the helicopter was "performing great" with no known problems before the accident. A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact malfunction or failure.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a safer turning point to avoid terrain impact.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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