Bell 206B N84TA

Summary

On 10 September 1995 at about 23:45 local time, a Bell 206B registered N84TA, operated by U.s. Dept. of Interior, was involved in an accident near Glennallen, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 September 1995 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Glennallen, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.1008, -145.5310

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N84TA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

U.s. Dept. of Interior

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC95TA166

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper in-flight planing/decision and inadequate supervision of the passenger, which allowed the helicopter's lateral center-of-gravity to be exceeded. Factors relating to the accident were: pressure (compelling influence) on the pilot and passenger that was induced by the need to rescue the stranded pilot from a life threatening situation, high winds, and large waves.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger of a Bell 206B helicopter, N84TA, overheard radio transmissions about a float equipped Cessna 180A, N94259, that had become inverted on a lake. The helicopter pilot and passenger attempted a rescue of the stranded pilot, who had been sitting on the inverted floats of the airplane for about 5 hours and displayed symptoms of severe hypothermia and shock. A 30 knot wind was producing 3 to 4 feet waves. As the helicopter was hovered next to the airplane, the passenger partially stepped into an external load basket on the right side of the helicopter and began to assist the stranded pilot aboard the helicopter. At about that time, the helicopter began to roll to the right, and the main rotor blades struck the surface of the lake. The helicopter then impacted the lake and sank. The stranded pilot was struck by the helicopter's landing gear skid tube during the crash and received a serious chest injury. The pilot of a third aircraft (float equipped Beaver) observed the events and landed on the lake to rescue all of the participants. (See: ID Number ANC95LA164 for the initial accident involving the Cessna 180.)

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.