Accident Overview
On a forestry inspection flight, a Bell 206B helicopter (serial number 1206) chartered by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests attempted an off-level hovering landing on a decommissioned logging road. The terrain sloped between 15 and 25 degrees. The pilot aimed to disembark two inspectors for a ground survey. After touching one skid on a gravel mound, the pilot decided the site was unsuitable and rejected the landing.
Sequence of Events
The pilot detected a vibration in the cyclic control, and passengers heard a bang. The pilot raised the collective, ascended about 10 feet, and turned approximately 270 degrees right to seek a better landing site. Vibrations intensified, and main rotor speed decayed. The pilot then attempted to land on the sloped road; upon touchdown, the helicopter rolled over, coming to rest nearly inverted.
Injuries and Damage
The front-seat passenger sustained a cut to the head from debris; the rear-seat passenger was bruised. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. All three occupants exited with assistance from each other. One passenger used a Forest Service two-way radio to call for help; a helicopter with a first-aid attendant was dispatched.
Investigation Findings
Examination revealed that the main rotor shaft had sheared; the hub and blade remnants were found 45 feet away. Wood fibers were lodged in one blade tip, and chordwise scratches were present on the blade's underside. One stump near the landing site was within the rotor plane, high enough to have been struck. The pilot had over 3,000 hours of flight experience and appropriate ratings. The passengers were not wearing shoulder harnesses, though they were available. An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) had been removed for maintenance earlier that day; however, the helicopter remained within 25 nautical miles of departure, as permitted by regulations, and the lack of an ELT did not delay rescue due to the Forest Service radios.
Safety Actions Taken
Following the accident, the BC Ministry of Forests instructed forestry inspectors to communicate discomfort more openly, issued a memo reminding employees to wear shoulder harnesses, and mandated that ELTs be carried on all chartered aircraft regardless of circumstances.
Probable Cause
The pilot was attempting a hovering landing at an unsuitable site when the main rotor blades likely struck a stump. The pilot was subsequently forced to land on steep sloping terrain, which caused the helicopter to roll over.