# Accident 19990810011679A: Bell 206L, Cape Girardeau, MO, August 10, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 10, 1999, 11:30 local time
- Place: Cape Girardeau, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: DFMA
- Location: 37.3403° N, 89.5710° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3403&lon=-89.5710&mi=10
- Aircraft: N810F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N810F-2013-07-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206L (registry code 1181522, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990810011679A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CHI99LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA298), Aug 10, 1999: Bell 206L (N810F), Cape Girardeau, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot, in that the auxiliary power unit cord was not removed. The brick wall was a contributing factor.

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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