Bell 206 Safety Record

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2-1/2 BEARING DUE TO AN OBSTRUCTION OF A BEARING OIL FEED TUBE BY FOREIGN MATERIAL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER MAINTENANCE DURING ENGINE OVERHAUL, AND WEATHER/TERRAIN/WATER CONDITIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, RAIN, LOW CEILINGS, NIGHT CONDITIONS, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AND PILOT DISORIENTATION.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VIGILANT WATCH FOR OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE INTENTIONALLY CRUISING SLOWLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER LINE WAS SUPPORTED BY DISTANT TOWERS, AND THE LINE WAS NOT CONSPICUOUS.

THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO CONTINUE NIGHT LOW LEVEL FLIGHT IN FORECASTED ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FOGGY WEATHER AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS WHICH RESTRICTED THE PILOT'S VISUAL OUTLOOK.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQAUTE REMEDIAL ACTION, OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY, AND LACK OF RECENT EXPEREINCE.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LOW CEILINGS, POOR VISIBILITY, AND RESTRICTED VISUAL LOOKOUT.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND CORRECT FOR THE RIGHT YAWING CONDITION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, DIVERTED ATTENTION, AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

THE INFLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE VERTICAL FIN WHICH LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND MAST BUMPING. THE FAILURE OF THE FIN WAS DUE TO INADEQUATE CORROSION CONTROL EFFORTS BY THE OPERATOR.

FOR OCCURRENCE #1 - INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE OPERATOR IN LAUNCHING A HAZARDOUS MISSION WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE SLING/HARNESS, THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ACCEPTING AND CONTINUING THE MISSION INTO LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE CREWMEMBER'S INADVERTENT RELEASE OF HIS HOLD OF THE NYLON STRAP. FOR OCCURRENCES #2-4 - FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT AS A RESULT OF ENTANGLEMENT OF AN UNSECURED NYLON STRAP.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE BEFORE FLYING OVER RISING TERRAIN AT NIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG, HAZE, RISING TERRAIN, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO THE PILOT.

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE WIND RESULTING IN A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF. ADDITIONALLY THE LOSS OF LIFT WHEN THE HELICOPTER FLEW OFF THE HELIPORT PLATFORM, PRIOR TO REACHING EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, RESULTED IN THE HELICOPTER SETTLING INTO THE WATER.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LACK OF MISSION TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THE COMPANY/OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUBSTANTIATION PROCESS TO ASSURE THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF NEWLY HIRED PILOTS.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT, PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION, INADEQUATE INITIAL TRAINING OF THE PILOT BY THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, AND THE COMPANY'S INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS/REQUIREMENTS.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS IN HIS FLIGHT PATH AND VISUALLY DETECT OBSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO AVERT A COLLISION.

PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITITIONS FROM WHICH HE INADVERTENTLY DESCENDED INTO THE WATER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING; LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE; OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS OWN ABILITY TO CONDUCT A SAFE FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.