19980524047139A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-3 · Springdale, AR · May 24, 1998

Date: May 24, 1998 · 12:35 local
Place: Springdale, AR
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EVCA
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N27AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98FA239
Reported as: Bell 206L3

N27AERegistration cancelled Sep 28, 1998 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51141 Airframe modelBell 206L-3

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.

(-23) According to witnesses the helicopter made a normal liftoff and began to climb to the southwest. Witnesses reported hearing a loud whine followed by several "popping" sounds, then black smoke/exhaust being ejected from the exhaust pipe. The aircraft then began a rapid descent from an altitude of approximately 60-70 feet until it impacted a parking lot and rolled over on its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE HELICOPTER MADE A NORMAL LIFTOFF AND BEGAN TO CLIMB TO THE SOUTHWEST. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A LOUD WHINE FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL "POPPING" SOUNDS, THEN BLACK SMOKE/EXHAUST BEING EJECTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 60-70 FEET UNTIL IT IMPACTED A PARKING LOT AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 FTW98FA239Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportSpringdale, ARThe failure of maintenance personnel to properly assemble the engine's accessory gearbox, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to partial blockage of the main oil passage by an o-ring. The blockage reduced oil flow to the turbine shafting, which…May 24, 1998 · Substantial damage