Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Shelbyville, Texas 75973
Thursday, March 10, 2005 13:54 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While in a slow flight out of ground effect the helicopter lost control and impacted heavily wooded (100-110 foot trees) terrain while on a United Stated Forest Service (USFS) prescribed fire mission. The prescribed fire was supported by the application of aerial ignition spheres utilizing a cabin mounted plastic sphere dispenser (PSD) machine. According to USFS operating procedures, PSD missions are typically flown at 50-300 feet above the top of the highest vegetation at airspeeds from 20-40 knots. While on the mission a radio distress call,"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, we are going down," was heard on the mission operating frequency. According to USFS personnel, the voice making the distress call appeared to be that of the ignition specialist on board, not the pilot. No further communications were heard from the helicopter. Post accident examinations and testing of the engine, fuel control, and power turbine governor did not reveal conclusive evidence of mechanical failure. Examination of the airframe did not reveal evidence of a control system failure. Fuel calculations determined that the helicopter should have had about 36.9 gallons of usable fuel on board at the time of the accident. Evidence at the accident site showed some rotation signatures of dynamic drive components, although a power level could not be determined. The USFS inspection of the PSD machine did not reveal evidence of a malfunction that could have contributed to the accident. The helicopter was within weight and balance limits for the type of operation. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude and clearance for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/10/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1354 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Shelbyville |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75973 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 314504N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0940002W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20913 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm. Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 10 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1600 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2006 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Houston, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N85BH |
| NTSB Number | DFW05FA086 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206B-3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3792 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 65 |
| Airframe Hours | 4564.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Brainerd Helicopter Service Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 482 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Brainerd |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 56401 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | USDA Forest Service |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | R-8, National Forest and Grassland of Texas |
| Operator City | Lufkin |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75901 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Shelbyville |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1347 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2006 10:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |