NTSB Preliminary Report: Balch Camp, CA

On September 9, 2023, about 1345 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 212 helicopter, N873HL, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Balch Camp, California. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 firefighting flight.

According to the pilot, after a successfully completing 8 water drops between 6,000 ft and 7,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot returned to his departure airport in Sanger, California to refuel. At 1315 he departed towards Pine Flat Reservoir to pick up his first load of water. After he reached the reservoir, the pilot hovered over the water, deployed the snorkel and activated the pump as prescribed by the operating procedure, but immediately noticed water spilling from the water tank. The pilot disengaged the pump and activated the water tank doors, but did not observe any movement. After he climbed to about 20 ft above the water, he observed the doors move after he cycled the tank power switch and reactivated the doors. He ran the pump until he loaded the desired amount of water and then proceeded to the fire area.

The fire was located between 7,000 ft and 8,000 ft msl surrounded by 100 foot tall pine trees. During a subsequent orbit of the area the pilot decided to approach the fire from higher terrain. As he approached the fire area he noticed that the helicopter required more power than normal. The pilot then slowed the helicopter; however, he felt that he was now pulling more power than should have been required and decided to jettison the water load. The pilot depressed the drop switch twice, but the water tank doors did not open. He then elected to fly towards a meadow, but when he increased power and began the turn the low rotor rpm horn activated and one of the main rotor blades contacted a tree. He immediately applied aft cyclic control as the helicopter rapidly descended before it impacted the ground and a postcrash fire ensued.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.