Bell 206B N370AH

Summary

On 15 April 1987 at about 23:12 local time, a Bell 206B registered N370AH, operated by Hilo Bay Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Laupahoehoe, Hawaii, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 April 1987 at 23:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Laupahoehoe, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

19.9706, -155.2390

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N370AH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Hilo Bay Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hilo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX87LA178

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 PILOT OF THE BELL 206B AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS ARRIVED OVER A BEACHED BARGE THAT THEY WERE TO LAND ON. THE PILOT HOVERED OVER THE BARGE IN A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF ABOUT 10 KNOTS AND OVER A MODERATE SEA WITH WAVES BREAKING AGAINST THE BARGE. THE TWO REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WERE DEPLANED WITHOUT INCIDENT THROUGH THE RIGHT REAR DOOR AS THE HELICOPTER HOVERED WITH THE RIGHT SKID RESTING ON A STRUCTURE ON THE BARGE. AFTERWARD, ONE OF THE DEPLANED PASSENGERS OBSERVED A WAVE BREAK AGAINST THE BARGE AND WATER SPRAYING UPWARD ONTO THE HELICOPTER. BOTH DEPLANED PASSENGERS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER ROLL LEFT AND IMPACT THE WATER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT FLOTATION GEAR WAS AVAILABLE TO THE CREW OR PASSENGERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.