19970517010909A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L1 · Orlando, FL · May 17, 1997

Date: May 17, 1997 · 13:02 local
Place: Orlando, FL
Airport: Falcon Heliport
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Run Land (Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N30SG
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA97LA168
Reported as: Bell 206L1
Reported engine: Allison 250C28B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,400 total1,200 in this make and model

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.

Lost power low altitude. Hard landing chopped tail. Engine unairworthy condition. Improper inadequate repairs. (-23) during sightseeing FAR 91 flight, engine lost power after level-off. Pilot attempted autorotational landing, lost rotor RPM, landed hard. One main rotor blade and tailboom failed due to vertical overload.

As the FAA filed it

LOST POWER LOW ALTITUDE. HARD LANDING CHOPPED TAIL. ENGINE UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION. IMPROPER INADEQUATE REPAIRS. (-23) DURING SIGHTSEEING FAR 91 FLIGHT, ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER LEVEL-OFF. PILOT ATTEMPTED AUTOROTATIONAL LANDING, LOST ROTOR RPM, LANDED HARD. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND TAILBOOM FAILED DUE TO VERTICAL OVERLOAD.

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 MIA97LA168Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOrlando, FLThe pilot misjudging the distance of the intended touchdown point resulting in his intentional decrease in the main rotor rpm to clear obstacles below. Contributing to the accident was the total loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons.May 17, 1997 · Substantial damage