Bell 205A-1 accident near Sequim, WA
On September 12, 1997, a Bell 205A-1 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Sequim, WA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 12, 1997
- Place
- Sequim, WA
- Aircraft
- Bell 205A-1 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 5 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 48.060°N, 123.060°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08876
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 12, 1997, about 1640 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 205A-1, N90HJ, was destroyed after colliding with mountainous terrain during the initial takeoff climb phase near Sequim, Washington. The pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries, five passengers received serious injuries. The helicopter was operated by the National Park Service (NPS) as a single pilot public-use aircraft. It was being used for personnel transport during an on-going search for a lost hiker. The flight originated on the day of the accident in the Buckhorn Wilderness Area of the Olympic National Forest. Instrument meteorological conditions with visibility's less than 1/4 mile prevailed at the time of departure. Flight plan/following was provided by the NPS dispatch. The pilot had no known prior flight experience in the Olympic National Forest. The accident flight was his second mission into the area and the first landing at this landing zone (H10). According to ground and passenger witness interviews, the takeoff was vertical into an obscuration. The NPS contract called for day visual flight rules only. The pilot had advised the search and rescue (SAR) personnel to load quick as he had no intentions of spending the night there. There were seven SAR persons and one search dog loaded onboard as the area became obscured in clouds/fog. The pilot held up five fingers. Ground personnel assumed that to mean wait 5 minutes for the obscuration to move on. However, in less than that time, the helicopter performed a vertical takeoff into the obscuration that had engulfed H10.
Probable cause
the pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions in mountainous terrain.
More accidents in WA
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Sep 4, 2022
- Cessna 208B, Oct 8, 2007
- Cessna 172P, Dec 7, 1991
- Piper PA-32-260, Jul 29, 2001
- Beech A60, Nov 21, 1992
Browse: Washington · 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.
