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19950401006279A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 206L1 · Flower Mound, TX · April 1, 1995

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 1, 1995 · 21:30 local
Place
Flower Mound, TX
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N701EC
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW95FA151
Reported as
Bell 206L1
Reported engine
Allison 250C28
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
6,139 total629 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Settled on climbout. Struck wires turning to avoid houses and trees. Rolled landing. Lacked recent night operations (.19) on April 1, 1995, approximately 2120 central standard time, a Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N701EC, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Flower Mound, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and four passengers received minor injuries, one passenger was seriously injured, and one passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal night flight. An interview with the pilot by the investigator in charge revealed the following information. The helicopter took off from a field to the north. During the climb, at approximately 100 feet, the pilot increased power (collective) to correct a descent, but there was no power response. The pilot turned the helicopter towards a large open field and he increased power to clear a set of power lines. The helicopter ascended to altitude higher than the wires. As the helicopter continued towards the field it struck the top wire. During the attempted landing the helicopter came to rest on its side.

As the FAA filed it

SETTLED ON CLIMBOUT. STRUCK WIRES TURNING TO AVOID HOUSES AND TREES. ROLLED LANDING. LACKED RECENT NIGHT OPERATIONS (.19) ON APRIL 1, 1995, APPROXIMATELY 2120 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206L-1 HELICOPTER, N701EC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL NIGHT FLIGHT. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT BY THE INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF FROM A FIELD TO THE NORTH. DURING THE CLIMB, AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET, THE PILOT INCREASED POWER (COLLECTIVE) TO CORRECT A DESCENT, BUT THERE WAS NO POWER RESPONSE. THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER TOWARDS A LARGE OPEN FIELD AND HE INCREASED POWER TO CLEAR A SET OF POWER LINES. THE HELICOPTER ASCENDED TO ALTITUDE HIGHER THAN THE WIRES. AS THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TOWARDS THE FIELD IT STRUCK THE TOP WIRE. DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW95FA151Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportFlower Mound, TXThe pilot's improper wind evaluation, and improper touchdown procedure, resulting in dynamic rollover of the helicopter. Factors were the tailwind, dark night, and the lack of recent experience at night.Apr 2, 1995 · Substantial damage