20030920023469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-1 · Shoals, IN · September 20, 2003

Date: September 20, 2003 · 23:38 local
Place: Shoals, IN
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EVCA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N74AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA319
Reported as: Bell 206L1
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,080 total151 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N74AERegistration cancelled Oct 1, 2018 · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1S/N 45765 · Built 1983 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 Engine modelAllison 250-C28 seriesTurbo-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) On September 20, 2003, at 2338 EST, a Bell helicopter model 206-L1, N74AE, registered to air evac leasing corp. made a hard landing at a gypsum quarry parking lot near Shoals, Indiana, while on an air ambulance flight conducted under CFR part 135. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. During the landing a white out condition was experienced at approximately five feet due to gypsum dust. The commercial rated pilot, a flight nurse and flight medic were not injured. A flight plan had not been filed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2003, AT 2338 EST, A BELL HELICOPTER MODEL 206-L1, N74AE, REGISTERED TO AIR EVAC LEASING CORP. MADE A HARD LANDING AT A GYPSUM QUARRY PARKING LOT NEAR SHOALS, INDIANA, WHILE ON AN AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER CFR PART 135. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. DURING THE LANDING A WHITE OUT CONDITION WAS EXPERIENCED AT APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET DUE TO GYPSUM DUST. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, A FLIGHT NURSE AND FLIGHT MEDIC WERE NOT INJURED. A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED.

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 CHI03LA319Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportShoals, INThe pilot not maintaining a proper descent rate during the touchdown once visual reference was reduced by the dust in the rotor downwash. Factors were the dusty gravel landing area and the pilot's visual lookout not being possible due to the dust the rotor…Sep 21, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N74AE · 1

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

Incident 20120904029009ICruise/Level Flight · Harrison, AROn September 4, 2012 the left-hand chin bubble departed the aircraft while in cruise-flight. Subsequent investigation determined that the chin bubble had been installed 6 days earlier and by admission of the mechanic, the installation instructions had not…Sep 4, 2012 · Minor damage