# Accident 19971015031299A: Bell 206B, Sutton, AK, October 15, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 15, 1997, 10:30 local time
- Place: Sutton, AK
- Airport: Jonesville Mine Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Power On Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: ELOL
- Location: 61.7405° N, 148.2207° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7405&lon=-148.2207&mi=10
- Aircraft: N86TA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N86TA-2019-08-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP (registry code 03013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,605 total, 3,855 in this make and model, 255 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA003) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971015031299A

## Narrative

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

EXTERNAL LOAD LINE BECAME ENTANGLED IN TAIL ROTOR DURING LANDING HOVER LANDED HARD. FAILED DROP LONG LINE. (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING LANDED AFTER COMPLETION OF AN EXTERNAL LOAD LIFT.  THE LONG LINE SUSPENDED FROM THE HELICOPTER BECAME ENTANGLED IN A TREE.  THE TAIL ROTOR SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE LONG LINE.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, AND THE TAIL BOOM, TAIL ROTOR, AND TAIL GEAR BOX SUSTAINED DAMAGE.

## 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 ANC98LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA003), Oct 15, 1997: Bell 206-B2 (N86TA), Sutton, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the tail rotor and the external long line cable, and the subsequent entanglement of the tail rotor with the long line.

## Other reports on N86TA (2)

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

- [Accident 20150310003009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150310003009A), Mar 10, 2015: Bell 206B (N86TA), Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot was in a hover over the knik glacier. Pilot was flying by himself from left seat. Pilot lost track of rotor RPM while concentrating on correcting N2, and…
- [Incident 19810727061219I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810727061219I), Jul 27, 1981: Bell 206B (N86TA), Copper Center, AK, Minor damage. Landed off airport due to short shaft in drive coupling failed.

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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