# Accident 20030131001299A: Bell 206L1, West Plains, MO, January 31, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 2003, 12:20 local time
- Place: West Plains, MO
- Airport: West Plains Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: EVCA
- Location: 36.8783° N, 91.9033° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8783&lon=-91.9033&mi=10
- Aircraft: N27AE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N27AE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP (registry code 03013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,886 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 78 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI03LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030131001299A

## Narrative

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

(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT AT THE CONTROLS WAS DEMONSTRATING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE FROM ALTITUDE TO ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, PILOT BEGAN A SLOW PROGRESSIVE AIRCRAFT DECELERATION. AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AGL, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER FROM THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY DUE TO A PERCEIVED EXCESSIVE SINK RATE BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE. DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE GROUND, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY ARECOVER THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN OFF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND APPEARED TO THE PILOT AS ATTEMPTING TO NOSE OVER. TO COUNTER THE PERCEIVED NOSE OVER, THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE AFT CYCLIC WHICH ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY TO CONTACT THE TAILBOOM.

## 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 CHI03LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA062), Jan 31, 2003: Bell 206L-1 (N27AE), West Plains, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The excessive descent rate that required an abrupt flare, resulting in the main rotor severing the tailboom.

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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