20030906021599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Long Beach, CA · September 6, 2003

Date: September 6, 2003 · 12:36 local
Place: Long Beach, CA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N59506
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03CA279
Reported as: Bell 206B
Pilot’s flight hours: 270 total170 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N59506Registration cancelled Jan 25, 2018 · Bell 206BS/N 1347 · Built 1974 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-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) Pilot was maneuvering when he felt a shudder and the helicopter yawed rapidly to the right. Pilot applied left peddle but was not able to immediately stop the yaw. He is uncertain of the number of revolutions. He briefly regained some control of the aircraft but had such a descent rate at this point that water impact was imminent. At the last second he banked to the right so the main rotors would impact the water. At the time of loss of control the apparent wind was from 45-60 degrees left of the nose of the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS MANEUVERING WHEN HE FELT A SHUDDER AND THE HELICOPTER YAWED RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT. PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDDLE BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE YAW. HE IS UNCERTAIN OF THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS. HE BRIEFLY REGAINED SOME CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT HAD SUCH A DESCENT RATE AT THIS POINT THAT WATER IMPACT WAS IMMINENT. AT THE LAST SECOND HE BANKED TO THE RIGHT SO THE MAIN ROTORS WOULD IMPACT THE WATER. AT THE TIME OF LOSS OF CONTROL THE APPARENT WIND WAS FROM 45-60 DEGREES LEFT OF THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER.

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 LAX03CA279Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLong Beach, CAthe pilot's inadequate remedial action in response to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Sep 6, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N59506 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19931110049059ISlope Landing · Honolulu, HIHad loss of engine power. Landed on a slight slope next to helipad.Nov 10, 1993