CAMP VERDE, AZ, USA
N49608
BELL 206B
A BELL HELICOPTER 206B COLLIDED WITH UNMARKED POWER TRANSMISSION CABLES WHILE ON A VFR POSITIONING FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN SEVERAL SCENIC FLIGHTS EARLIER IN THE DAY AND WAS RETURNING TO THE OPERATOR'S FACILITY WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER'S COURSE WAS ON A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. THE WIRES WERE SUSPENDED ACROSS A TERRAIN FEATURE KNOWN AS A SADDLE. THE SPAN WAS ABOUT ONE MILE BETWEEN THE POLES THAT SUPPORTED THE CABLES. THE POLES WERE MASKED FROM VIEW WHEN APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH BY TERRAIN. THE CABLES WERE ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE ELEVATION OF THE CABLES WAS 4,140 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE CABLES WERE DEPICTED ON THE SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART. THE MAXIMUM ELEVATION FIGURE FOR THE ACCIDENT QUADRANGLE ON THE SECTIONAL CHART WAS 7,200 FEET MSL.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS IN HIS FLIGHT PATH AND VISUALLY DETECT OBSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO AVERT A COLLISION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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