Bell 206 N8159J

Summary

On 6 July 2017 at about 21:00 local time, a Bell 206 registered N8159J, operated by Forming Agrotors Inc, was involved in an accident near Dixon, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 July 2017 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Dixon, Kentucky, United States

Coordinates

37.5322, -87.7653

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N8159J

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1970

Engines

1

Operator

Forming Agrotors Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dixon → Dixon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA393

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to adequately identify hazards to flight during agricultural application operation planning.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter pilot reported that he was maneuvering at low altitude during an agricultural application flight. While in a left turn, he did not see the power lines until they were very close. He increased the collective to climb, and he banked right to avoid impact. However, the tail rotor struck the power lines, and the helicopter lost tail rotor effectiveness. The pilot conducted an autorotation and landed the helicopter, but the tailboom impacted trees. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor gear box, the tail rotor blades, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.