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20030805018939A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Merced, CA · August 5, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 5, 2003 · 13:00 local
Place
Merced, CA
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9254Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03LA253
Reported as
Bell 206B
Reported engine
Allison 250C20R
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,100 total500 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

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.

(-23) On 8/05/03, at approximately 1300 PDT, roy w. pettit, commercial certificate 548350340, PIC of N9254Y, a bht 206BIII helicopter, operating under 14CFR91, crashed during attempted landing at a residential construction site in Merced, CA. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot conducted a steep approach to a 12'X12', 4" high, concrete pad, and landed with the forward third of the skids on the pad. The helicopter tilted tail low striking the tail guard on the ground. The pilot attempted to correct the rearward tilt with forward cyclic and a rapid increase of collective pitch. The helicopter lifted off the pad to approximately 5 feet to 10 feet and accelerated forward in a nose low attitude. The aircraft rolled hard right impacting the ground on the toe of the right skid. The advancing main rotor blade struck the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. Inspection determined the flight control system was intact and functioning properly and was not a causal factor.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 8/05/03, AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 PDT, ROY W. PETTIT, COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE 548350340, PIC OF N9254Y, A BHT 206BIII HELICOPTER, OPERATING UNDER 14CFR91, CRASHED DURING ATTEMPTED LANDING AT A RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SITE IN MERCED, CA. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A STEEP APPROACH TO A 12'X12', 4" HIGH, CONCRETE PAD, AND LANDED WITH THE FORWARD THIRD OF THE SKIDS ON THE PAD. THE HELICOPTER TILTED TAIL LOW STRIKING THE TAIL GUARD ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE REARWARD TILT WITH FORWARD CYCLIC AND A RAPID INCREASE OF COLLECTIVE PITCH. THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF THE PAD TO APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET TO 10 FEET AND ACCELERATED FORWARD IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED HARD RIGHT IMPACTING THE GROUND ON THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID. THE ADVANCING MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. INSPECTION DETERMINED THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM WAS INTACT AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND WAS NOT A CAUSAL FACTOR.

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 LAX03LA253Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMerced, CAThe pilot's excessive movement of the helicopter's controls during an aborted landing, which resulted in a loss of control (dynamic rollover) and an in-flight collision with terrain.Aug 5, 2003 · Substantial damage