# Accident 20030121003379A: Bell 206L1, Oak Grove, LA, January 21, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 21, 2003, 16:50 local time
- Place: Oak Grove, LA
- Airport: Creole Heliport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ALGA
- Location: 29.7900° N, 93.1839° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7900&lon=-93.1839&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5740L (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,580 total, 2,307 in this make and model, 228 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030121003379A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON THIS AFTERNOON AT APPROXIMATELY 1630 TO 1700 HOURS UCT, THERE WAS A RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF ADVECTION FOG. WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND, THE PILOT HEARD SEVERAL AIRCRAFT MAKING PRECAUTIONARY LANDINGS SHORT OF THEIR DESTINATION 15LA DUE TO FOG, AS HE, TOO, ENCOUNTERED THE FOG BANK. SEEING A LANDING AREA, HE MADE A RIGHT DESCENDING TURN, WHEREUPON HE ENTERED THE FOG AT APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET AND PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN A WINGS LEVEL 100 TO 200 FEET PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT. UPON SEEING THE GROUND AT ABOUT 50 FEET OF ALTITUDE, HE SUBSEQUENTLY LOST VISUAL CUES FOR DIRECTIONAL STABILIZED HOVER AND WHEN LANDING, MADE A HARD LANDING, DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 FTW03LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA088), Jan 21, 2003: Bell 206L-1 (N5740L), Oak Grove, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factors was the fog.

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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