Bell 206B accident near Auburn, California, October 14, 2010
On October 14, 2010 at about 10:17 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2763M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Auburn, California. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission line during flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2010 · about 10:17 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2763M · no longer on the register · serial 2646
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff for the repositioning flight, and while transitioning along a canyon, he felt a vibration through the helicopter. The pilot initiated an autorotation and landed on a downsloping dirt road. The helicopter rolled over, coming to rest on its right side. Postaccident examination revealed that the helicopter impacted an unmarked transmission line. The line spanned an 800-foot gap across a small divide from a fenced electric substation to a power pole on a high outcropping. The pilot and passenger did not see the line at any time during the flight. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the vibration.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,470 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,405 as pilot in command; 1,770 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,583 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 3, 2010; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Whirlwide INC
The flight
- Departed from: 47CN Auburn CA at 10:25 pm
- Destination: 16CL Angels Camp CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from KAUB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.