Bell 206B accident near Mason, Texas, August 20, 2003
On August 20, 2003, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N9877Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mason, Texas. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power line. A contributing factor was the sunglare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2003
- Place
- Mason, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9877Z · no longer on the register · serial 1732
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 3,225-hour pilot reported that he was video-filming an automobile driving westbound into the sunset. The pilot further stated that "as we continued down the highway, we came upon the second set of wires before I thought we should have. With the sun in my eyes, I did not see them until maybe a second before we impacted it." The helicopter descended in a slight nose low attitude and impacted the highway, then skidded off the road into a ditch. An examination of the helicopter by an FAA inspector who responded to the accident site revealed that the helicopter caught fire after it came to a stop and was destroyed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,225 hours in all; 725 in this make and model; 2,650 as pilot in command; 525 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,083.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2003; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BMQ Burnet TX at 9:30 pm
- Destination: XS12 Liberty Hill TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:05 am from T82, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9877Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.