Bell 206B accident near Crowley, LA
On October 10, 2012, a Bell 206B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Crowley, LA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 10, 2012
- Place
- Crowley, LA
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 30.085°N, 92.382°W
- NTSB ID
- 20121010X41638
Official records · CEN13FA009
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Photograph 08 - Broadcast Tower: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 10, 2012, approximately 1155 central daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N333DR, was substantially damaged when it impacted a guy-wire on a broadcast tower and then terrain, near Crowley, Louisiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to Pintail Lodge Inc., and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The personal flight originated from Broussard, Louisiana, approximately 1135, and was en route to Beaumont, Texas. According to a witness performing maintenance on the broadcast tower, he observed the helicopter ½ mile to the east, flying towards the tower. When the helicopter was approximately 60 feet from the broadcast tower, the helicopter banked to the left, as if to avoid hitting the tower and subsequently struck the number 4 guy-wire on the south side of the tower. After the helicopter struck the wire, the helicopter veered back to the right and descended to the ground. The witness did not observe or hear anything abnormal with the helicopter prior to the impact with the wire. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 66, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single and multiengine airplane, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on August 2, 2011. The certificate contained the limitation “Must have available glasses for near vision.” The pilot’s flight logbook was not located. Acco
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the broadcast tower guy-wires.
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Browse: Louisiana · 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.
