BELL 206
St. Olaf, IA — July 28, 2010
Event Information
| Date | July 28, 2010 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN10CA446 |
| Event ID | 20100730X22323 |
| Location | St. Olaf, IA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 42.91306, -91.34084 |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | BELL |
| Model | 206 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 137 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAWN |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 1 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during the agricultural flight.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that he was performing agricultural spraying operations in the helicopter when the accident happened. He stated that he was making a final "trim" pass along the northern boundary of the field and heading west into the afternoon sun. He said that as he finished his pass, he looked down at the spray boom to insure that the nozzles were shut off and when he looked back up he saw the wires that crossed his path as they contacted the helicopter. The helicopter became uncontrollable and impacted into a field in a nose low attitude. The pilot made no mention of pre-impact difficulties with the helicopter in his statement.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.