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20031128034249A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 206L-1 · Paris/Subiaco, AR · November 28, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 28, 2003 · 22:08 local
Place
Paris/Subiaco, AR
Airport
Paris Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Starting Engines
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
EVCA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N103AE
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04CA030
Reported as
Bell 206L1
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
10,500 total3,500 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N103AERegistered now · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1S/N 45597 · Built 1981Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1Engine 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) The pilot in commamd failed to follow the checklist. In doing so, the pilot in command endangered the property and life of another. The bio-hazard area consisted of body fluids (blood) excreted from facial lacerations. On November 28, 2003, at approximately 2214 local time, the pilot in command of N103AE, a Bell 206-L1, attempted to start the aircraft with the main rotor blades secured (tied down) to the tail boom. At approximately 55% N1 during the start sequence, the rotor blade secured to the tail boom severed (broke) approximately 19 to 25 inches outboard of the rotor blade mounting point. With the blade severed, the aircraft entered a violent unbalanced condition, viciously bouncing about the helicopter parking area. The pilot in command successfully placed the throttle to the off position, the engine secured and the rotor system came to rest when the remaining rotor blade made tail boom contact. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, the pilot in command incurred minor injuries and the flight nurse sustained no injuries. The weather was VFR with a slight wind. A company flight plan was filed

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT IN COMMAMD FAILED TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST. IN DOING SO, THE PILOT IN COMMAND ENDANGERED THE PROPERTY AND LIFE OF ANOTHER. THE BIO-HAZARD AREA CONSISTED OF BODY FLUIDS (BLOOD) EXCRETED FROM FACIAL LACERATIONS. ON NOVEMBER 28, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 2214 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF N103AE, A BELL 206-L1, ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SECURED (TIED DOWN) TO THE TAIL BOOM. AT APPROXIMATELY 55% N1 DURING THE START SEQUENCE, THE ROTOR BLADE SECURED TO THE TAIL BOOM SEVERED (BROKE) APPROXIMATELY 19 TO 25 INCHES OUTBOARD OF THE ROTOR BLADE MOUNTING POINT. WITH THE BLADE SEVERED, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A VIOLENT UNBALANCED CONDITION, VICIOUSLY BOUNCING ABOUT THE HELICOPTER PARKING AREA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND SUCCESSFULLY PLACED THE THROTTLE TO THE OFF POSITION, THE ENGINE SECURED AND THE ROTOR SYSTEM CAME TO REST WHEN THE REMAINING ROTOR BLADE MADE TAIL BOOM CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE PILOT IN COMMAND INCURRED MINOR INJURIES AND THE FLIGHT NURSE SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE WEATHER WAS VFR WITH A SLIGHT WIND. A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS 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 FTW04CA030Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportParis, ARThe pilot's failure to remove the main rotor tiedown prior to engine startup. Contributing factors were the pressure induced by conditions/events, improper preflight of the aircraft, and dark night conditions,Nov 29, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N103AE · 1

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

Accident 20020609014979ADover, AR(-23) The ems's helicopter tail rotor struck a tree during an approach to a landing site, approx 9 miles north of Dover ar. As the helicopter neared the landing zone, a light from a flashlight in the vicinity of the proposed landing zone was illuminated. The…Jun 9, 2002 · No damage