Accident Overview
On November 14, 2011, at approximately 1430 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, registration N16HA, operated by Applebee Aviation under 14 CFR Part 133, collided with terrain during an external load operation near Woodburn, Oregon. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries, and the helicopter incurred substantial damage to the forward fuselage and tail boom.
Flight Details
The local flight had departed from a road in Oregon City, Oregon, about two hours before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that he was lifting bundles of Christmas trees from a field to a loading zone using a 25-foot-long steel line. Shortly after lifting a load, the bundle came apart and fell from the line. The pilot then descended to allow ground personnel to reattach the bundle, but they had already moved to the next bundle. As the pilot raised the helicopter, the line became snagged on an obstacle on the ground. The pilot immediately reached for the line release switch, but the line did not detach. The helicopter pitched down, descended, and collided with terrain.
Pilot Statement
The pilot could not definitively confirm that the release system failed, stating it was possible he did not make positive contact with the release switch. He further stated that he did not have enough time to engage the manual backup release system.
Post-Accident Examination
An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the helicopter at the accident site. The inspector inspected both the electrically operated release mechanism and the manual backup release system. No anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.
Conclusion
The accident occurred when the external load line snagged during a Christmas tree lifting operation, leading to a loss of control. The exact cause of the line not detaching could not be determined definitively, but no mechanical failure was found in the release systems.