# Accident 19970517010909A: Bell 206L1, Orlando, FL, May 17, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 17, 1997, 13:02 local time
- Place: Orlando, FL
- Airport: Falcon Heliport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Run Land (Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.4490° N, 81.4699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4490&lon=-81.4699&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30SG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C28B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,400 total, 1,200 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA168) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970517010909A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 MIA97LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA168), May 17, 1997: Bell 206L-1 (N30SG), Orlando, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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