On August 2, 1982, a Bell 206B (registration N33TA) operated by Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near 2NM SW OF Lynch, KY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 9 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot on a defoliant spraying flight lost control during a climb near a 3500-foot ridgeline, entering a right spin that could not be recovered before impact.
Incident Overview
The pilot was conducting a flight to spray defoliant along powerline right-of-ways. During the climb, while near a ridgeline at an estimated altitude of 3,500 feet, the aircraft began to spin to the right. The pilot applied corrective inputs but was unable to arrest the spin. Insufficient altitude remained to regain control before the aircraft impacted terrain.
Prior Occurrences
Investigation into the accident revealed that the pilot had previously experienced similar episodes of tail rotor control loss prior to the accident flight. This information was uncovered during the post-accident inquiry.