Aviation Crash Map

Bell 206B-3 N2043B

31 October 1996 · Creole, Louisiana, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 31 October 1996 at about 23:15 local time, a Bell 206B-3 registered N2043B was involved in an accident near Creole, Louisiana, 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.

The record

Date
at 23:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Creole, Louisiana, United States
Coordinates
29.8402, -93.0597
Aircraft
Bell 206B-3
Registration
N2043B
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Purpose of flight
Business
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW97LA030

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

the pilot's inadequate preflight by failing to remove the 100 foot long line and the external cargo basket from the helicopter before takeoff, and/or his failure to ensure that clearance/altitude was maintained from the fence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was equipped with a 100 foot long line and an aluminum basket for transporting seismic equipment. The pilot arrived at a loading zone and began the daily flights. Total flight time for the day was about 2 hours. After the pilot completed the day's activities, the helicopter was to be repositioned to a different loading zone, where mechanics were to perform maintenance checks before the next day's flights. The pilot started the takeoff without checking the belly hook for the external line. He stated that he forgot that the long line and basket (aluminum mesh 4 feet x 5 feet x 3 feet) were still attached to the helicopter. During takeoff, the helicopter was about 50 to 60 feet above the ground, when the basket hung on a fence. The helicopter was then pulled down to the ground, and it came to rest on its right side. Damage occurred to the main rotors and drive train. The pilot was wearing a helmet, and the helicopters' fuel system was equipped with spill safe fittings.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Bell 206 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
22 Aug 1996 Bell 206B
N3896V
Glenns Ferry, Idaho, United States Idaho Helicopters Serious injuries -
23 Aug 1996 Bell 206B
N206FT
Greybull, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
3 Feb 1996 Bell 206B
N2184Z
Cushing, Oklahoma, United States Corporate Helicopters, Inc. Serious injuries -
1 Nov 1996 Bell 206B
N90144
Supai, Arizona, United States - Minor injuries -
8 Jul 1996 Bell 206B
N2761F
Juneau, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
16 Apr 1996 Bell 206B III
N2750F
San Diego, California, United States - No injuries -

All 1,732 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Jan 1996 Cessna 150M
N714JV
Mandeville, Louisiana, United States - Serious injuries -
16 Jan 1996 Cessna 182K
N3098Q
Covington, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
22 Jan 1996 Cessna A185F
N6034N
Belle Chase, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
10 Oct 1996 MBB BO-105 CBS-4
N299EH
Cameron, Louisiana, United States
no coordinates
ERA, Gulf Coast Division Fatal 1
17 Feb 1996 Cessna 182P
N9901M
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
22 Feb 1996 Cessna 172P
N775NA
Iowa, Louisiana, United States - Serious injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States