Bell 206B2 N59396
25 September 1997 · Anahuac, Texas, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 25 September 1997 at about 18:30 local time, a Bell 206B2 registered N59396 was involved in an accident near Anahuac, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Anahuac, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.7597, -94.6698
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B2
- Registration
- N59396
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pearland → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW97LA364
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter after encountering a dynamic rollover due to entanglement of the external load cable with the left landing gear skid.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter was being used to perform sling load operations, transporting water in a 100 gallon bambi bucket suspended by a 100 foot long line. During the operation, the helicopter impacted in a marshy area at a high rate of descent with very low forward speed approximately 100 feet west of his water pick up point. There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident. A ground impression (corresponding to the water bucket) was found approximately 200 feet to the west of the resting place of the main wreckage. The 3 to 5 foot tall grass on the southern portion of the hole made by the water bucket was found pushed or laid back in a southerly direction. Deep impressions were found aft of the toe of the left skid tube (at the attaching point where it attaches to the crosstube), which corresponded to the steel cable that was being used in conjunction with the external load. No similar impressions were found on the other skid or crosstube assemblies. No evidence of pre-impact mechanical failure or malfunction was found within the helicopter or related components. The commercial pilot had accumulated a total of 4 hours operating with a 100 foot sling.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1997 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | El Indio, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Cessna 182Q | Sugar Land, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Whitewright, Texas, United States | Centerline Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1997 | Air Tractor AT-301 | Edna, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1997 | Cessna 152 | Gorman, Texas, United States | Spencer Jones | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1997 | Cessna 152 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Bridgeport Flight Training | Minor injuries | - |