Bell 206L-1 accident near Randolph, New York, September 22, 1999
On September 22, 1999 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N17SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Randolph, New York. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain visual separation from the wires. A factor was sunglare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1999 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Randolph, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N17SP · registry record · serial 45351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a drug eradication mission. He was flying in a valley, toward the sun, approximately 200 feet above ground level, when the helicopter struck utility wires. The towers, which supported the wires, were below the tree line. The wires were depicted on the current Detroit Sectional Aeronautical Chart.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,142 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1999; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JHW Jamestown NY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 22NY Batavia NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:57 pm from JHW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 NYC99GA234.