OpenAirDocs.org

19990810011679A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bell 206L · Cape Girardeau, MO · August 10, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 10, 1999 · 11:30 local
Place
Cape Girardeau, MO
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
DFMA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N810F
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI99LA298
Reported as
Bell 206L
N810FRegistration cancelled Jul 30, 2013 · Bell 206LS/N 46603 · Built 1978Airframe modelBell 206LEngine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-shaft

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.

1978 Bell 206L helicopter was taking off from a helo pad on the top of a building, but the APU cord had not been disconnected, the acft yawed, the cord disconnected, and the acft nosed over and landed on a street four stories below, other circumstances are unknown. (-23)during departure from a hospital rooftop helipad, aircraft ywaed violently to the left and nose tucked. Pilot assumed the aircraft was experiencing an engine failure. After landing the aircraft with no fatalities or injuries to the aircrew, it was determined that the auxiliary power unit (APU) cord connected at the nose of the aircraft was never disconnected by the aircrew prior to departure. Fortunately, for the aircrew during the descent to the ground below, the APU power cord disconnected. At this point in the investigation it is very likely that the APU power cord connected to the aircraft during the initial departure is what caused the aircraft to yaw left and nose to tuck. Investigation continuing to review mitigation circumstances in this accident.

As the FAA filed it

1978 BELL 206L HELICOPTER WAS TAKING OFF FROM A HELO PAD ON THE TOP OF A BUILDING, BUT THE APU CORD HAD NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED, THE ACFT YAWED, THE CORD DISCONNECTED, AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND LANDED ON A STREET FOUR STORIES BELOW, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23)DURING DEPARTURE FROM A HOSPITAL ROOFTOP HELIPAD, AIRCRAFT YWAED VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT AND NOSE TUCKED. PILOT ASSUMED THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES TO THE AIRCREW, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) CORD CONNECTED AT THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEVER DISCONNECTED BY THE AIRCREW PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. FORTUNATELY, FOR THE AIRCREW DURING THE DESCENT TO THE GROUND BELOW, THE APU POWER CORD DISCONNECTED. AT THIS POINT IN THE INVESTIGATION IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THE APU POWER CORD CONNECTED TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE INITIAL DEPARTURE IS WHAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW LEFT AND NOSE TO TUCK. INVESTIGATION CONTINUING TO REVIEW MITIGATION CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS ACCIDENT.

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 CHI99LA298Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCape Girardeau, MOThe inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot, in that the auxiliary power unit cord was not removed. The brick wall was a contributing factor.Aug 10, 1999 · Substantial damage