# Accident 19911211055659A: Bell 206L3, Charlotte, NC, December 11, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 11, 1991, 21:45 local time
- Place: Charlotte, NC
- Airport: Charlotte-Douglas International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2293° N, 80.9100° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2293&lon=-80.9100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N206CM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L3
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30P
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA92LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA92LA042) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911211055659A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON TEST FLIGHT LIFTED TO HOVER. DRIFTED BACKWARDS AND TAIL ROTOR HIT BERM. ABORTED HOVER. SET DOWN. HARD LANDING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA92LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA92LA042), Dec 12, 1991: Bell 206L-3 (N206CM), Charlotte, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TAILROTOR GROUND CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING RESULTING IN THE TAIL STRIKING THE GROUND AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE TAILROTOR AND GEARBOX.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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