# Accident 19971205037519A: Bell 206B, Anchorage, AK, December 5, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 5, 1997, 11:20 local time
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Airport: Campbell Airstrip Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1592° N, 149.9907° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1592&lon=-149.9907&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83146, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N83146-2007-06-12) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 625 total, 3 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98TA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98TA011) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971205037519A

## Narrative

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

PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. PULLED COLLECTIVE TOO SOON. HARD LANDING. MAIN ROTORS CHOPPED TAILBOOM. (.4) TWO COMMERCIAL PILOTS WERE PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION LANDINGS AT A PRIVATE SNOW COVERED AIRSTRIP. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROFICIENCY.  THE FIRST PILOT HAD PERFORMED SEVERAL STRAIGHT-IN TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS.  DURING THE LAST AUTOROTATION, THE FIRST PILOT ENTERED THE AUTOROTATION AT 800 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND ABOUT 80 KNOTS.  DURING THE DESCENT, THE PILOT MAINTAINED A 65 KNOT AIRSPEED, AND BEGAN A DECELERATION FLARE ABOUT 50 TO 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  AS THE GROUND SPEED DISSIPATED, THE PILOT LEVELED THE HELICOPTER, APPLIED MAIN ROTOR COLLECTIVE PITCH, AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH ABOUT A 30 FOOT GROUND RUN.  AS THE HELICOPTER SLOWED TO A STOP, THE PILOT INDICATED THE HELICOPTER SHUDDERED SEVERAL TIMES.  THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM, SEVERING THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZER, AND THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY, FROM THE TAIL BOOM.

## 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 ANC98TA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98TA011), Dec 5, 1997: Bell 206B (N83146), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM during an autorotation landing.

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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