Bell 206B N219CT

Summary

On 4 May 1995 at about 01:30 local time, a Bell 206B registered N219CT was involved in an accident near Hamilton, Massachusetts, 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

4 May 1995 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hamilton, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N219CT

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Beverly

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC95LA101

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper decision to fly at night with a night vision deficiency, and his failure to maintain clearance with trees during takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the trees and the subsequent hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM A TREE SURROUNDED FIELD AT NIGHT, IN HIS PERSONALLY OWNED HELICOPTER. DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK TREES AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 60 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL, WITH 40 HOURS AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND. THE PILOT'S LAST THIRD CLASS MEDICAL WAS ISSUED 3 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WITH THE RESTRICTIONS, 'NOT VALID FOR NIGHT FLYING OR BY COLOR SIGNAL CONTROL.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.