Bell 205A1 accident near Leavenworth, Washington, August 11, 2004
On August 11, 2004 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Bell 205A1 (helicopter), registered N205XP, was destroyed in an accident near Leavenworth, Washington. It was a public-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the snag while hovering out of ground effect during an external load operation. Factors were the smoke jumper's misjudgment of the tree heights in the area, which resulted in the use of too short a long line, and their failure to communicate with the pilot about the tall snag.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2004 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Leavenworth, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 205A1 · all 205A1s on the register
- Registration
- N205XP · no longer on the register · serial 30017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was operating under contract to the United States Forest Service (USFS). The purpose of the external load flight was to deliver equipment to a crew of smoke jumpers fighting a fire in heavily wooded, mountainous terrain. The jumpers estimated the trees in the area were a maximum of 120 feet tall, and therefore, they requested a 150 foot long line be used for the equipment drop. The helicopter was dispatched with a tandem load on a 160 foot long line. The smoke jumpers placed a marker on a sand bar in a stream bed. There was a tall dead tree (snag) located on a cut bank overlooking the sand bar. As the helicopter approached the area, one of the smoke jumpers communicated by radio with the pilot that if he did not like the marked site, he could choose his own spot. The pilot replied that he would give the marked spot a try. The radio operator did not mention the snag to the pilot. The pilot successfully placed both loads on the marker. Another smoke jumper disconnected both loads and then reconnected one of the loads meant to be dropped at another location. As the helicopter began its departure, the pilot who was sitting in the left seat, slowly turned the helicopter's nose to the left and its tail to the right. This maneuver allowed the helicopter's tail rotor to contact the snag. The helicopter began to spin and then fell to the ground. Investigation revealed that the snag was located 36 feet from the marker and was about 173 feet tall. The rotor diameter of the helicopter was 48 feet. Following the accident, the USFS issued an Aviation Safety Alert on the subject of "Clearance From Obstacles During External Load Operations." One of the recommendations in the alert stated the following: "In areas of sloping terrain or with obstacles rising to one or more sides of the cargo pickup/delivery area, or dip site, pilot should maintain aircraft clearance from all obstacles in accordance with the landing area safety circle requirements for the type aircraft. The safety circle is generally recognized as 1 1/2 times the rotor diameter."
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,650 hours in all; 110 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 11, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,200 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T-53-L-17A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Usda Forest Service, Fire And Aviation Management
The flight
- Departed from: Leavenworth WA at 4:55 pm
- Destination: Leavenworth WA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.