Bell 206B N75SH

Summary

On 13 May 1990 at about 01:10 local time, a Bell 206B registered N75SH, operated by Hendricks, Sidney J., was involved in an accident near Carmel Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 May 1990 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Carmel Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

36.5499, -121.9194

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N75SH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Hendricks, Sidney J.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Novato

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA170

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT AND IMPROPER CLIMB.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A CLEAR AREA IN FRONT OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, AND HEADED TOWARD A VALLEY. THE HELICOPTER ACCELERATED IN GROUND EFFECT FOR ABOUT 370 FEET UTILIZING AN AIRSPEED OVER ALTITUDE DEPARTURE PROFILE. IT THEN FLEW DIRECTLY INTO AND SEVERED TWO DISTRIBUTION POWER LINES WHICH WERE LOCATED ABOUT FOUR FEET ABOVE THE ELEVATION OF THE TAKEOFF AREA. (THE POWER POLES WERE LOCATED AT LOWER ELEVATION TERRAIN.) THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIP, CHIN BUBBLE AND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE BROKEN DURING THE COLLISION, AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER VEERED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED ABOUT ONE- QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE LINES. THE POLES WHICH SUPPORTED THE LINES WERE LOCATED BEHIND TREES AND WERE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE TAKEOFF AREA. EARLIER IN THE DAY THE PILOT HAD MADE TWO LOCAL FLIGHTS OVER THE SAME AREA AND THE POLES/LINES WERE NOT NOTED, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL WIRE CUTTERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.