Bell 206B II N164JS

Summary

On 16 July 2007 at about 14:30 local time, a Bell 206B II registered N164JS, operated by Ronald L. Young, was involved in an accident near Sheep Mountain, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2007 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sheep Mountain, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Off Airport (NONE)

Coordinates

44.5575, -111.7750

Aircraft

Bell 206B II

Registration

N164JS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Ronald L. Young

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mtn Drop Site → Mtn Drop Site

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07CA200

1 person had minor injuries.

The external load net, attached directly to the cargo hook without the use of a long line, oscillated and made contact with the tail rotor system while maneuvering.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was transporting supplies with a cargo net from one mountain site to another. The sling loads consisted of steel angle iron, which was bagged and secured with velcro, and then placed into the cargo net. After delivering the fourth load, the pilot lifted off with only an empty bag inside the net. The Bell 206B rotorcraft flight manual, in the supplement for external loading, states, "Control movements should be made smoothly and kept to a minimum to prevent oscillation of sling load." According to a witness, as the helicopter departed, the net "floated very close to the propeller [tail rotor], then floated back down." The net, which was attached directly to the helicopter cargo hook without the use of a long line, swung back up again and impacted the tail rotor, cutting the cargo net and releasing the bag. The pilot heard noise and "thumping" sounds, accompanied by vibrations and yawing, and realized that he had a tail rotor strike. The pilot entered an autorotation at "25 miles per hour and 200 feet" above a timbered slope. The pilot selected a small, sloped, clearing as a landing zone, and upon touchdown, the helicopter rolled over, coming to rest on it's right side.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.