ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 298910
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| Date: | Monday 5 June 2000 |
| Time: | 00:30 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 407 |
| Owner/operator: | Ben Hill Griffin Inc. |
| Registration: | N234BH |
| MSN: | 53280 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1998 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 382 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C47C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lake Placid, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Avon Park, FL (KAVO) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was circling the helicopter at an indicated altitude of 1,000 ft. msl while performing an aerial survey of wild fires during the night. Visibility in the area was limited due to smoke present from the fires. After circling for 25 minutes, the pilot initiated an approach to a grass landing zone. The passenger was calling out altitudes every 50 ft. while the pilot verified the call outs. Shortly after the passenger called out 450 ft., the helicopter impacted the ground while traveling at a speed of 35 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or component failures with the helicopter. In an interview following the accident, the pilot reported that the altimeter setting was approximately 300 feet off. The remote area in which he was flying was very dark with limited lighting.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to establish/maintain a safe rate of descent during approach to landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's incorrect altimeter (Kollsman) setting, smoke, and dark night conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL00LA058
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Oct-2022 00:12 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 04-Jun-2023 15:37 | harro | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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