OpenAirDocs.org

20030813034469A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-3 · August 13, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 13, 2003 · 11:17 local
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
HEEA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N41128
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03FA259
Reported as
Bell 206L3
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
3
Pilot’s flight hours
10,406 total6,858 in this make and model76 in the last 90 days
N41128Registration cancelled Jul 12, 2005 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51134 · Built 1985Airframe modelBell 206L-3Engine 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.

(-23) Several witnesses reported that there were thunderstorms in the area with strong gusty winds and lightning. The helicopter had landed on EI-276 to refuel and pick up three (3) passengers. One passenger was all ready on the helicopter. While the helicopter was being hot refuel by a passenger the other passengers loaded their baggage in the baggage compartment and boarded the helicopter. By the time the helicopter was ready to depart the weather had gotten worse. It had started to rain and the wind gust had increased to approximately 45-50 mph. Witnesses stated that as the helicopter started coming up to about 3 feet above the helideck, the nose went straight up to about 35 degrees and down onto the right side and rotated to the right. When the nose pitched up, the tailboom hit and snapped. The tail boom was completely severed from the fuselage. The main rotors hit the platform and causing it to rip up the helicopter real bad. The helicopter impacted the water upside down. He said, "it was so fast and so violent."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING. THE HELICOPTER HAD LANDED ON EI-276 TO REFUEL AND PICK UP THREE (3) PASSENGERS. ONE PASSENGER WAS ALL READY ON THE HELICOPTER. WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING HOT REFUEL BY A PASSENGER THE OTHER PASSENGERS LOADED THEIR BAGGAGE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND BOARDED THE HELICOPTER. BY THE TIME THE HELICOPTER WAS READY TO DEPART THE WEATHER HAD GOTTEN WORSE. IT HAD STARTED TO RAIN AND THE WIND GUST HAD INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. WITNESSES STATED THAT AS THE HELICOPTER STARTED COMING UP TO ABOUT 3 FEET ABOVE THE HELIDECK, THE NOSE WENT STRAIGHT UP TO ABOUT 35 DEGREES AND DOWN ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE AND ROTATED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE NOSE PITCHED UP, THE TAILBOOM HIT AND SNAPPED. THE TAIL BOOM WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE MAIN ROTORS HIT THE PLATFORM AND CAUSING IT TO RIP UP THE HELICOPTER REAL BAD. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER UPSIDE DOWN. HE SAID, "IT WAS SO FAST AND SO VIOLENT."

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 CHI03FA259Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportE.I. 276, LAThe inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions and the directional control not obtained/maintained by the pilot during takeoff. Contributing factors were the crosswind and the planned approach to position the helicopter with a crosswind in order to…Aug 13, 2003 · Substantial damage