# Accident 20040221030369A: Bell 206BELL, Locust Grove, GA, February 21, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 21, 2004, 13:15 local time
- Place: Locust Grove, GA
- Airport: Mallards Landing Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3639° N, 84.1650° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3639&lon=-84.1650&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35Q-2004-12-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206 (registry code 1181502, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206BELL
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 170 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA076) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040221030369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS CONDUCTED ON FEBRUARY 22, 2004. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO REPOSITION THE HELICOPTER ON A DOLLY IN ORDER TO MOVE IT INTO HIS HANGAR. HE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A VFR FLIGHT FROM ANDREWS NORTH CAROLINA. THE DOLLY WAS FACING THE HANGAR TO THE NORTH ON A 2 TO 3-DEGREE DOWNWARD SLOPE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND RIGHT REAR WHEEL WERE CHOCKED. THE PILOT LANDED AT AN ANGLE ON THE DOLLY TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED HE WANTED TO GET THE HELICOPTER STRAIGHT ON THE DOLLY. HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE PITCH AND THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER PITCHED UP AND TO THE LEFT. THE TAIL ROTOR COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED ROTATING TO THE LEFT. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND EXITED THE HELICOPTER UNASSISTED. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE DOLLY WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO ITS HANGAR ON A 360-DEGREE HEADING. THE HELICOPTER WAS LAYING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON A HEADING OF 150 DEGREES. THE TAIL BOOM HAD SEPARATED AS WELL AS THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE SEPARATED DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. GROUND SCARS WERE LOCATED BEHIND THE HELICOPTER WHERE THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO THE LEFT DUE TO LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. GROUND SCARS WERE PRESENT ON THE GROUND WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND SEPARATED AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS OR ENGINE ASSEMBLY. REVIEW OF THE HELICOPTER LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED ON 6/6/03. THE HELICOPTER HAD FLOWN 35 HOURS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS OVER HAULED ON 1/10/88. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN FLOWN 9789 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. A HOT SECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON 9/30/03. THE TOTAL HOURS ON THE AIRFRAME AT THE CRASH SITE WAS 12237 HOURS. THE PILOT HAS A TOTAL OF 1190 FLIGHT HOURS OF WHICH 170 HOURS ARE IN THE BELL 206 HELICOPTER. THE PILOT'S LAST BIANNUAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED IN A BEECH CRAFT SUNDOWNER ON 10/14/03. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE PICKING THE HELICOPTER UP TO A HOVER RESULTING IN THE TAIL ROTOR AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER ENDED UP ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE DOLLY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL04LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA076), Feb 21, 2004: Bell 206 (N35Q), Locust Grove, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter while lifting off a dolly to a hover. This resulted in the tail rotor blades and main rotor blades colliding with the ground and…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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