Bell 212 accident near Umpire, Arkansas, August 24, 2004
On August 24, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bell 212 (helicopter), registered N181W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Umpire, Arkansas (J Lynn Helms Sevier County Air airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's encounter with settling with power resulting in a loss of control. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Umpire, Arkansas · J Lynn Helms Sevier County Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 212 · all 212s on the register
- Registration
- N181W · registry record · serial 35058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 3,807-hour helciopter pilot had just departed a private heliport on a hot day approximately 70 pounds under the certified gross weight. The pilot stated that the take-off was normal and the helicopter climbed slowly. He then increased the climb rate with a slight rearward cyclic movement. The helicopter responded by initially climbing then it immediately began to descend. During the descent, the pilot attempted to dump the chemical load, but reported that the dump doors failed to operate until his fourth try. Shortly thereafter, the main rotor blades struck trees and the helicopter descended to the ground and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the helicopter and the dump valves revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Interpolation of the published Hover Ceiling in Ground Effect performance chart revealed that the helicopter was within the performance envelope. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, pages 11-5 to 11-7, Vortex Ring State (Settling with Power), "Vortex ring state describes an areodynamic condition where a helicopter may be in a vertical descent with up to maximum power applied, and little, or no cyclic authority. The term 'settling with power' comes from the fact that the helicopter keeps settling even though full engine power is applied." The investigator-in-charge (IIC) calculated the density altitude at 3,155 feet.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,807 hours in all; 324 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 3,753 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,551.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2004; 20.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wickes AR at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KDEQ, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW04LA220.