Bell 206L-3 N2123X

Summary

On 2 July 1987 at about 21:00 local time, a Bell 206L-3 registered N2123X, operated by Air Services International, was involved in an accident near Benson, Arizona, United States. 6 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 5 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 July 1987 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Benson, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.1891, -110.3794

Aircraft

Bell 206L-3

Registration

N2123X

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Air Services International

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willcox → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX87LA255

1 person was seriously injured.

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

A BELL HELICOPTER 206L-3 COLLIDED WITH WIRES WHILE MANEUVERING OVER AN UNDERGROUND TELEPHONE CABLE. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A 360 DEG RIGHT TURN AT THE REQUEST OF THE PAX AND WAS APRX 185 DEG THROUGH THE SECOND TURN WHEN HE STRUCK A UNMARKED SINGLE STRAND POWER CABLE. THE PLT NOTICED A BRIGHT ELECTRICAL FLASH IN THE AREA OF THE ACFTS WINDSHIELD CENTER POST. HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION AT APRX 80 FT AGL AND 60 KTS INDICATED AIRSPEED. THE TERRAIN BELOW THE ACFT WAS A VEGETATED DRY FLAT SANDY WASH. THE HELO LANDING HARD COLLAPSING THE SKID TYPE LANDING GEAR AND THEN ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE WIRES WERE STRUNG ACROSS THE WASH WITH THE POLES MASKED BY CANYON WALLS ON EACH SIDE OF THE WASH. THE PLT DID NOT GIVE ANY INDICATION OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.