Bell 206B N2209P

Summary

On 15 January 1995 at about 03:45 local time, a Bell 206B registered N2209P, operated by Wolfe Air Aviation Ltd., was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 January 1995 at 03:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nearest airport

Burbank Airport (BUR)

Coordinates

34.1308, -118.3307

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N2209P

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Wolfe Air Aviation Ltd.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burbank → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX95FA079

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S AND OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THEIR ESTABLISHED DISPATCH PROCEDURES, THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT IN INITIATING THE FLIGHT, AND THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE OUT OF THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AND PROCEEDED SOUTHBOUND FROM THE BURBANK AIRPORT. THE AIRPORT PREVAILING WEATHER WAS 300 FT BROKEN; VISIBILITY 2-1/2 MI WITH FOG AND LIGHT RAIN. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION WIRES ABOUT 150 FT AGL. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER DID NOT CLIMB MORE THAN 300 FT ABOVE THE GROUND AFTER DEPARTURE. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DUE THE PREVAILING RAIN SHOWERS, CLOUD OBSCURATION, AND A 1/4-MI VISIBILITY, THE HELICOPTER WAS BARELY DISTINGUISHABLE. THE HELICOPTER BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE SECOND SET OF WIRES UNTIL THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY SEPARATED AND THEN IT PLUNGED TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE FSS, NOR FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. HE DID RECEIVE THE CURRENT ATIS BEFORE DEPARTING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.