Bell 206B N59484

Summary

On 11 July 1992 at about 15:07 local time, a Bell 206B registered N59484, operated by Farrell, Richard L., was involved in an accident near Twin Peaks, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 1992 at 15:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Twin Peaks, California, United States

Coordinates

34.2291, -117.2308

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N59484

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Farrell, Richard L.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rim Forest → Bermuda Dunes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA294

1 person died.

WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE THE FLIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT CALLED HIS FRIEND AND CANCELLED A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FLIGHT FOR HIS FRIEND'S SON STATING THAT IT WAS TOO FOGGY. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THE PILOT DEPARTED THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA HELIPAD ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESS. THE CARETAKER OF THE HELIPAD AREA REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER FLEW IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AND THAT THE PREVAILING FOG/LOW CLOUDS CONDITIONS WERE INTERMITTENT AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER GROUND WITNESSES HEARD THE HELICOPTER PASS OVER THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND MOMENTS LATER THEY REPORTED HEARING A SUDDEN LOUD NOISE. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THAT THE HIGHER ELEVATION TREE TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY THE CLOUDS. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE TREES SOUTH OF THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX AND CONTINUED IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION UNTIL STRIKING THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE COMPLEX. A 6-FT BY 2-FT DIAMETER SECTION OF THE TREE WAS SEVERED BY THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND PENETRATED THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX ROOF AND FRONT GLASS WINDOW. THE TREE SECTION CAME TO REST ABOUT 250 FEET BEYOND THE TREE IMPACT AREA IN THE STREET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.