Bell 206B accident near Salem, OH
On July 8, 1996, a Bell 206B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Salem, OH. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 8, 1996
- Place
- Salem, OH
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.900°N, 80.849°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06249
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 8, 1996, at about 1100 eastern daylight time, N49578, a Bell 206B helicopter, owned by Chillingsworth Ventures, LTD, in Canton, Ohio, and operated by Mid Ohio Aviation and Ohio Air Affairs Aviation, Canton, Ohio, as an aerial photography and observation flight, collided with the ground in an open field at Salem, Ohio. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed. The certificated commercial pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. The local flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and departed Salem Airpark, Salem, Ohio, at about 1040. The helicopter was certified for 14 CFR Part 91, operations, however it was chartered to perform a photographic mission at the Little Beaver Creek, near Salem, Ohio. The helicopter departed Wayne County Airport, Canton, Ohio at approximately 0900, and flew to Salem Airpark to pick up the four passengers. The helicopter crashed in an open field near Little Beaver Creek. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a Commercial certificate. He had Commercial pilot privileges for airplane single engine land, helicopter and instrument helicopter. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate for helicopters. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. The pilot reported 7,352 civilian flight hours in all aircraft on the application for the most recent medical certificate, which was dated September 1, 1995. The pilot's last proficiency check was undetermined due to the lack of a current logbook. NCIC Records provided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol revealed tha
Probable cause
The pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol and the pilot's improper handling of the helicopter resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A related factor was the pilot's disregard for the aircraft's weight and balance while hovering out of ground effect.
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Browse: Ohio · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
