Bell 206B N901CA

Summary

On 10 March 1999 at about 18:55 local time, a Bell 206B registered N901CA was involved in an accident near Delhi, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 1999 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Delhi, California, United States

Coordinates

37.4196, -120.7708

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N901CA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delhi → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA116

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance while landing in proximity to high vegetation, which resulted in the inadvertent contact of the spray boom to the trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After spraying a field during an aerial application flight, the pilot returned to the helispot to reload. Approaching the helispot, he flew past 30-foot-tall almond trees and 10-foot-tall oleander bushes at a low altitude. Immediately thereafter the helicopter began yawing. The pilot stated that 'the tail rotor felt sluggish,' and control was lost. The pilot further reported that he believes the spray boom clipped the vegetation. The helicopter came to rest on its side. At the time of the accident, the local wind condition was described by both the pilot and a ground witness as being light and variable. The pilot did not assert that any mechanical malfunctions precipitated the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.