Bell 206B N32TV

Summary

On 22 September 1985 at about 14:10 local time, a Bell 206B registered N32TV, operated by Northwest Helicopter, was involved in an accident near Chalkhill, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

22 September 1985 at 14:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Chalkhill, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

39.8508, -79.5993

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N32TV

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Northwest Helicopter

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC85FA245

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED ON AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WITH A 100 FT CABLE ATTACHED. WHEN A 618 LB LOAD WAS READY TO BE MOVED, THE PLT STARTED THE ENG, LIFTED OFF & MOVED THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER OVER THE LOAD. THE LOADERS HOOKED THE LOAD TO THE CABLE & GAVE THE PLT A SIGNAL TO DEPART, THEN THEY NOTICED THE CABLE WAS DROOPED OVER THE AFT PART OF THE LEFT SKID. THE CREW TRIED TO SIGNAL THE PLT, BUT AS THE HELICOPTER LIFTED THE LOAD, IT BEGAN MOVING IN A REARWARD & LEFT TURNING, PENDULOUS MOTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED NEARLY INVERTED ONTO WOODED TERRAIN. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE 100 FT CABLE WAS ABOVE THE HELICOPTER IN A TREE & EXTENDED TO WHERE IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND ANOTHER TREE. ALL OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE FOUND OPEN. THE CARGO HOOK HAD A MANUAL & AN ELECTRICAL RELEASE. THE CARGO HOOK WAS TORN FROM THE HELICOPTER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.