ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 265285
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| Date: | Thursday 8 July 2021 |
| Time: | 14:05 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | Valhalla Helicopters |
| Registration: | C-GGRC |
| MSN: | 3623 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1982 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | SW of Oliver, BC -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A Valhalla Helicopters Bell 206 helicopter was conducting the second leg of a wine tasting tour from a winery SW of Oliver, BC to one SE of Naramata, BC with 1 pilot and 2 passengers on board. Shortly after liftoff, while in a left turn climbing through approximately 100 feet above ground level, the helicopter began an uncommanded yaw to the right. Despite full left pedal input by the pilot, the helicopter spun several times before it impacted terrain approximately 275 feet SE of the liftoff point in a vineyard. Prior to the right-hand spin, a shuddering was felt in the aircraft. The helicopter impacted the right front and came to rest on its left side. The pilot egressed first and assisted the left rear passenger out of the helicopter then they both assisted the right rear passenger. The helicopter engine was still running and the occupants were assisted to safety inside the winery where they received first aid while awaiting paramedics. All 3 occupants were taken to hospital; the pilot and left rear passenger received minor injuries while the right rear passenger received serious injuries.
Police and firefighters also responded to the scene. The helicopter’s engine had stopped running but fuel was still leaking and a small post-impact fire began in the engine compartment. Fire personnel disconnected the aircraft battery and extinguished the flames. The 406 MHz ELT signal was relayed to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and the police on scene turned off the ELT.
Maintenance personnel examined the aircraft and determined that all tail rotor driveshaft couplings were intact and witness marked. They could not determine any mechanical reason for the helicopter's loss of control.
Weight and balance calculations indicated that the helicopter was below maximum takeoff weight when it departed. The temperature was approximately 30° C with a density altitude of about 3500 feet. The estimated wind at the lift off point was SSE at approximately 5 knots.
Sources:
https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/339461/Helicopter-crashes-down-into-Oliver-vineyard
https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/helicopter-crash-in-oliver/
TSB
https://www.airhistory.net/photos/0370547
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jul-2021 04:07 | Geno | Added |
| 09-Jul-2021 09:57 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Aug-2021 17:30 | harro | Updated [Time, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Nov-2023 18:04 | harro | Updated [Other fatalities] |
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