History of Flight
On July 23, 2014, at about 1418 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206A helicopter, registration N949FM, experienced a hard landing and rolled onto its right side near Wenatchee, Washington. Applebee Aviation was operating the helicopter under 14 CFR Part 91 for cherry tree drying operations. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed at an undetermined time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
No witnesses visually observed the accident. An ear witness reported hearing the helicopter, followed by a thud and then silence. The witness and her spouse responded to the site and found the helicopter on its side, smoking. Other personnel arrived and applied several fire extinguishers to the smoking area at the back of the engine, ceasing the smoke.
Personnel Information
The operator reported that the 40-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on June 30, 2014, with no limitations or waivers. Examination of the pilot's logbook indicated an estimated total flight time of 237 hours as of July 15, 2014. He logged 12 hours in the previous 30 days and had an estimated 13.2 hours in this make and model. The pilot's first logged entry was July 13, 2004. The logbook showed 121.7 hours in an R22 and 76.8 hours in a Hughes 269A. He completed a flight check for the commercial pilot certificate on June 23, 2014.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter was a Bell 206A, serial number 87. According to the operator, the total airframe time was 9,607 hours at the most recent annual inspection on April 22, 2014. The engine was a Rolls-Royce Allison, serial number CAE800363B, with total time recorded at 3,919 hours and time since major overhaul of 538 hours.
Meteorological Information
An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Wenatchee (KEAT), elevation 1,249 feet, 16 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, issued at 1355 PDT reported: wind from 320 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky 4,900 feet broken, 6,500 feet overcast; temperature 22°C; dew point 14°C; altimeter 39.91 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage on site. The helicopter was on its right side; the landing zone was a grassy area sloping in two directions. As the helicopter approached to land from the left, there was a gradual downhill slope left to right and tail to nose.
The back section of the skids was more damaged than the front. The back right cross member separated at the skid connection; the back left cross member partially separated at the skid connection. A ground scar about 1 foot prior to the right skid in the direction of flight was several feet long and parallel to the right skid.
The left horizontal stabilator touched the ground, exhibited crush damage, and was bent down; there was a ground scar about 15 inches long leading to it. The right horizontal stabilator pointed up and was undamaged. The vertical stabilators were horizontal; the bottom of the vertical stabilator and stinger were undamaged, while the top of the vertical stabilator was damaged and bent about 50 degrees to the left. All servos were damaged with multiple jagged and angular separations.
Recovery personnel obtained about 25 gallons of clean clear fluid from the fuel tank that smelled like jet fuel.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination conducted by the Chelan County Coroner's Office listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries to the head. Toxicological tests on pilot specimens performed by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute found no carbon monoxide or volatiles; tests for cyanide were not performed. The report detected 0.028 µg/mL O-Desmethyltramadol in blood and 0.139 µg/mL Tramadol in blood, with Tramadol also found in urine. An NTSB medical officer reviewed the findings and prepared a factual report.
Tests and Research
Investigators examined the wreckage at a facility provided by the operator on July 30, 2014. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies.