# Incident 19960908039819I: Bell 206L1, Grand Canyon, AZ, September 8, 1996

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 1996, 16:15 local time
- Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
- Airport: Grand Canyon National Park
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: PG9L
- Location: 35.9524° N, 112.1470° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9524&lon=-112.1470&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2072M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2072M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,586 total, 510 in this make and model, 243 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960908039819I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: WITH REGARDS TO THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1615 ON 9-8-96 IN N2072M, THERE WAS CONTROL HINDRANCE IN FLIGHT. AT LEVEL CRUISE OF 70% TORQUE, 640 DEGREES TOT, 100 KTS IAS, 7,000 FEET MSL, 91% N1, 100% N2, 320 LBS. FUEL AND 6 PASSENGERS ABOARD, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG HEARD OVERHEAD FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A DROP IN THE COLLECTIVE. THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL REMAINED ABOUT 1 INCH ABOVE THE FULL DOWN POSITION WHICH CORRESPONDS TO A NEUTRAL PITCH POSITION. THERE WAS A PULSATING UP AND DOWN MOTION OF ABOUT 1/4 INCH WITH A MINOR VERTICAL VIBRATION IN THE HELICOPTER. FULL CONTROL WAS AVAILABLE ON THE CYCLIC AND ANTITORQUE PEDALS AND NO FLUCTUATIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED WITH THOSE CONTROLS. ENGINE POWER REMAINED AT FULL WITH NO YAW. A SHALLOW APPROACH WAS MADE TO AN OPEN AREA SOUTH OF DRIPPING SPRINGS. NO DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE AIRCRAFT OR PERSONS ABOARD. RETAINING NUT FOUND BACKED OFF. NO NMAC OR PILOT DEVIATION REPORT FILED. THIS REPORT AND INVESTIGATION ARE CLOSED.

## Other reports on N2072M (4)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20130423009709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130423009709A), Apr 23, 2013: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (N2072M), Grand Canyon, AZ, Substantial damage. Papillon helicopters a part 135 air tour operator was conducting a training flight under part 91. The accident occurred 14 miles east of the Grand Canyon…
- [Incident 20120517007979I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120517007979I), May 17, 2012: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (N2072M), Grand Canyon, AZ, Minor damage. During a practice autorotation, the instructor failed to roll on throttle in a timely manner in order to perform a power recovery to a hover. The aircraft…
- [Incident 20110531010619I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110531010619I), May 31, 2011: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (N2072M), Peach Springs, AZ, Minor damage. PIC [privacy data omitted] stated that he had performed his morning pre-flight and was waiting for company employess to arrive at the Grand Canyon west…
- [Incident 19860210020852I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860210020852I), Feb 10, 1986: Bell 206L1 (N2072M), Hanalei, HI, Minor damage. Power reduced to flight idle while awaiting fuel. Rotor blades contacted 1075S main rotors also awaiting refueling

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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