Saturday, April 16, 2016

Bell 206B, N326AC: Accident occurred April 16, 2016 near Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (KBWI), Anne Arundel County, Maryland

CLEAR VIEW AVIATION LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N326AC

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baltimore FSDO-07



NTSB Identification: ERA16CA160
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 16, 2016 in Baltimore, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/01/2016
Aircraft: BELL 206, registration: N326AC
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The helicopter began the power line aerial observation flight near its maximum gross weight. As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter into an out-of-ground-effect hover with a 12-knot left crosswind, a nose-right yaw ensued that could not be corrected with a full left pedal application. Despite other remedial actions taken by the pilot, the helicopter descended to ground contact where the occupants egressed, but the helicopter was later destroyed by post-crash fire. The pilot stated there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. He said, "It was an aerodynamic issue, not a mechanical issue." 

FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-95, Unanticipated Right Yaw in Helicopters stated, "Any maneuver which requires the pilot to operate in a high-power, low-airspeed environment with a left crosswind or tailwind creates an environment where unanticipated right yaw may occur."

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind while hovering out of ground effect, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.



ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. - No one was seriously injured after a helicopter carrying workers who were inspecting power lines crashed near Baltimore's airport Saturday, authorities said. 

The helicopter went down in a wooded area near a stream by Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland State Police said. 

Police said the cause of the crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. 

The pilot was identified as Owen J. Garnett of Montrose, Pennsylvania. His passengers were Kevin A. Tennis of Colora, Maryland, and Jordan M. Marsh of Monkton, Maryland. The Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter is owned by Sky River Helicopters of New Jersey. 

None of the people reported serious injuries but were taken to the hospital as a precaution, state police said.

Baltimore Gas and Electric said the workers were checking electric transmission lines for the company when the crash occurred. One of the people is an employee for the company and the other two are contractors, the company said in a statement. 

The crash helicopter caught fire after it went down, causing a brush fire in the area, police said. The crash occurred near the train tracks, leading to delays for some rail passengers. 

Amtrak temporarily halted all service between Baltimore and Washington before resuming it Saturday afternoon. 

Original article can be found here: http://www.fox5dc.com




LINTHICUM, Md. —Three people on board a helicopter that crashed Saturday near the Amtrak tracks by the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport have been identified.

They are pilot Owen J. Garnett, 42, of Montrose, and two passengers, Kevin A. Tennis, 29, of Colora, and Jordan M. Marsh, 34, of Monkton.

Their injuries are not being reported as being serious, but the victims were taken to a hospital as a precaution.

The crash of the private helicopter, which happened just before 1 p.m. near Aviation Boulevard in Linthicum, also sparked a fire.

State and county police remain at the scene.

Federal authorities at the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were also notified.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The three occupants told officials they were checking power lines in the area when the crash occurred. The helicopter went down in a wooded area near a stream.

Baltimore Gas and Electric released a statement, saying, "The helicopter that crashed this afternoon was a helicopter contractor performing inspections of electric transmission lines for BGE. There was one BGE employee and two contractors on board at the time of the crash. All three individuals are not reporting serious injuries, but were transported as a precaution to a local hospital. No BGE equipment was affected during this incident."

Transportation officials said Amtrak and MARC service in the area may be interrupted and delayed until the investigation is complete and the helicopter is removed.

The helicopter is owned by Sky River Helicopters of Pittstown.

Original article can be found here: http://www.wbaltv.com



LINTHICUM, Md. (WJZ) — A helicopter crashes near BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Police say a helicopter went down in the woods between the BWI MARC station and Old Stoney Run Road. A private contractor was doing land survey work for BGE in the area.

There were no fatalities. All three people on board the helicopter are expected to survive. They were taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The helicopter–a Bell 206 JetRanger–was completely destroyed.

The crash also started a large brush fire. Crews were able to contain the situation.

According to BWI, there is no impact on airline operations. There are, however, delays to MARC and Amtrak service.

The NTSB and FAA have been notified of the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

In a statement, BGE said, “The helicopter that crashed this afternoon was a helicopter contractor performing inspections of electric transmission lines for BGE. There was one BGE employee and two contractors on board at the time of the crash. All three individuals are not reporting serious injuries, but were transported as a precaution to a local hospital. No BGE equipment was affected during this incident.”

Original article can be found here:  http://baltimore.cbslocal.com


A helicopter crash was reported on Saturday near Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, but no one was seriously injured, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The helicopter was patrolling at low altitude around a power line when it crashed on a train track a mile north of the airport, the agency said.

The crew of the helicopter suffered minor injuries and no one else was hurt, according to the FAA.

The off-site incident had no immediate impact on airline operations, the airport said on Twitter.

Amtrak also said on Twitter that the crash occurred near the BWI Amtrak station, and that it would have no estimate about the length of any delays in service until officials finished an investigation.

Representatives for Amtrak and the Anne Arundel County Police Department could not immediately be reached for comment.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.reuters.com

WASHINGTON – A helicopter crashed Saturday afternoon near Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, sparking a brush fire that is impacting Amtrak and MARC service.

There were no apparent injuries according to Anne Arundel County Fire Department Capt. Russ Davies. Three people were on board.

Due to a brush fire that resulted from the crash,  all Amtrak service was temporarily put on hold between Baltimore and D.C., an Amtrak spokeswoman said.

Service on MARC was delayed.

Whitney Kidd, a BWI-Marshall spokeswoman, says the crash was off of airport property and is having no impact on flights to or from the airport.

The crash destroyed the chopper, according to Anne Arundel County Fire Lt. Ariel Jackson. He says the private helicopter was surveying the area around the train tracks when it crashed around 1 p.m.

Jackson says the helicopter was from Sky River Helicopters in New Jersey.

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald, on a southbound Northeast Regional Amtrak Train stopped in Baltimore, says a conductor announced that riders heading to the airport should get off and consider taking a cab. The trains are stopped as first responders handle the helicopter crash and brush fire.

Original article can be found here:  http://wtop.com

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