20050315006479A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Elim, AK · March 15, 2005

Date: March 15, 2005 · 19:30 local
Place: Elim, AK
Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi, Other Helicopter
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N422R
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC05CA049
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250C20
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total900 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N422RRegistration cancelled Sep 21, 2012 · Bell 206BS/N 1696 · Built 1975 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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) During an aerial photography flight from koyuk, AK to Elim, AK the weather had deteriorated. The pilot made a decision to land the aircraft because of the weather (1 1/2 visibility and snow with flat light conditions). He set the aircraft down on an irregular surface but decided to reposition the aircraft to a more level area. During the repositioning hover taxi the rotorblades struck a snow drift while the aircraft was moving forward. The rotorblades disintegrated and detached. The aircraft pitched forward and aft, and right and left and settled to the ground in an upright position. During this process the tail rotor driveshaft was severed. privacy data omitted

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FLIGHT FROM KOYUK, AK TO ELIM, AK THE WEATHER HAD DETERIORATED. THE PILOT MADE A DECISION TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER (1 1/2 VISIBILITY AND SNOW WITH FLAT LIGHT CONDITIONS). HE SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ON AN IRREGULAR SURFACE BUT DECIDED TO REPOSITION THE AIRCRAFT TO A MORE LEVEL AREA. DURING THE REPOSITIONING HOVER TAXI THE ROTORBLADES STRUCK A SNOW DRIFT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVING FORWARD. THE ROTORBLADES DISINTEGRATED AND DETACHED. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED FORWARD AND AFT, AND RIGHT AND LEFT AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. DURING THIS PROCESS THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT WAS SEVERED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED

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 ANC05CA049Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportElim, AKThe pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance while maneuvering, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident are flat light, whiteout conditions,…Mar 15, 2005 · Substantial damage