# Incident 19981028043809I: Bell 206L3, Fourchon, LA, October 28, 1998

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 28, 1998, 06:25 local time
- Place: Fourchon, LA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Aircraft: N206FS (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L3
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,506 total, 720 in this make and model, 243 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981028043809I

## Narrative

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

(-5)DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG AS IF SOMETHING HAD HIT THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE LOCATION.  SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD INADVERTENTLY LEFT A LIFTING DEVICE ATTACHED TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM AFTER MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED.  THE PILOT FAILED TO DETECT THE LIFTING DEVICE DURING PREFLIGHT.  THE LIFTING DEVICE SEPARATED FROM THE ROTOR SYSTEM IN FLIGHT AND STRUCK AND DAMAGED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

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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