Bell 206 Safety Record

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate obstacle clearance altitude while operating at a very low level. The aircraft's lack of wire cutters was a factor in this accident.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WIND EVALUATION, AND IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN PROCEDURE, RESULTING IN DYNAMIC ROLLOVER OF THE HELICOPTER. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND, DARK NIGHT, AND THE LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE AT NIGHT.

INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND SUBSEQUENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (FOG AND HAZE), AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO HOVER OUT OF GROUND EFFECT UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS WHILE EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT FOR THAT MANEUVER. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE TAILWIND.

THE INGESTION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL (SNOW) IN THE ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN A FLAMEOUT (LOSS OF ENGINE POWER). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (SNOW FALLING & HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE), THE LACK OF SNOW COVERS TO PROTECT THE ENGINE INTAKES WHILE PARKED AND AWAITING FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE, IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, INADEQUATE INFORMATION IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF AN UNQUALIFIED PILOT WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF TO A HOVER. THIS RESULTED IN AN ON GROUND LOSS OF CONTROL (DYNAMIC ROLL OVER). THE IMPROPER FLIGHT CONTROL INPUT (CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE) BY THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT AND PILOT-IN-COMMAND, AND THE LACK OF WRITTEN PROCEDURES (OPERATIONS MANUAL) APPROVED BY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WERE FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

the pilot's selection of a cruise altitude insufficient to ensure adequate obstacle clearance and his inadequate visual lookout. A factor in the accident was the inconspicuousness of the power lines.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT ADEQUATE FUEL WAS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER, THE DARK NIGHT AND THE ROUGH SEA CONDITION.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING. FACTORS WERE HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND RAIN.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS DECISION TO CONTINUE HIS LANDING ATTEMPTS UNDER THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CLOUDS, FOG AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES, AND HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE EFFECT OF THE ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT WAS THE MEDICINE.

WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE THE FLIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG.