Bell 206BIII N95AT

Summary

On 11 January 1992 at about 21:26 local time, a Bell 206BIII registered N95AT, operated by Rotor Connection, was involved in an accident near Crockett, California, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 January 1992 at 21:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Crockett, California, United States

Coordinates

38.0495, -122.2304

Aircraft

Bell 206BIII

Registration

N95AT

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Rotor Connection

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Martinez → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA088

5 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VIGILANT WATCH FOR OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE INTENTIONALLY CRUISING SLOWLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER LINE WAS SUPPORTED BY DISTANT TOWERS, AND THE LINE WAS NOT CONSPICUOUS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD BEEN HIRED TO PROVIDE AN AIRLIFT FOR 4 PASSENGERS TO ASSIST THEM IN SURVEYING THE STRAIT FOR AN OIL SPILL.THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA WHICH WAS LOCATED NEAR HIS HOME BASE ARPT. ON A CLEAR DAY, WHILE IN SLOW CRUISE FLT ABOUT 210 FEET AGL, THE PLT COLLIDED NEARLY PERPENDICULAR WITH A POWER LINE. THE LINE WAS DEPICTED ON THE AERONAUTICAL CHART. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CRASHED INTO THE UNDERLYING STRAIT. AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO FLEW THE SAME ROUTE AS THE ACCIDENT PLT REPORTED THAT THE POWER LINE WAS DIFFICULT TO OBSERVE UNITL HE WAS WITHIN 1000 FT OF IT. THE INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT THE LACK OF CONSPICUITY MAY BE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT THE TOWERS FROM WHICH THE LINE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED ACROSS THE STRAIT WERE LOCATED 4426 FEET APART.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.