20051230033939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L4 · Washington, LA · December 30, 2005

Date: December 30, 2005 · 15:42 local
Place: Washington, LA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HDCA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1811
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW06CA048
Reported as: Bell 206L4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,800 total3,000 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

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) While in cruise flight at 600 feet and 120 mph indicated airspeed, a buzzard hit the pilot windshield, shattering it. The buzzard passed through the shattered windshield and hit the pilot in the face causing a momentarily loss of flight control. The pilot regained control of the helicopter and tried to land in a large open field. The pilot lost visual contact with the ground due to blood in his eyes and landed hard, breaking the left skid off the helicopter and rolling over onto the left side before coming to rest. Pilot shut down the helicopter and exited through the shattered windshield. Pilot was taken to a nearby hospital for x-rays and physical examination due to face and eyes injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 600 FEET AND 120 MPH INDICATED AIRSPEED, A BUZZARD HIT THE PILOT WINDSHIELD, SHATTERING IT. THE BUZZARD PASSED THROUGH THE SHATTERED WINDSHIELD AND HIT THE PILOT IN THE FACE CAUSING A MOMENTARILY LOSS OF FLIGHT CONTROL. THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND TRIED TO LAND IN A LARGE OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND DUE TO BLOOD IN HIS EYES AND LANDED HARD, BREAKING THE LEFT SKID OFF THE HELICOPTER AND ROLLING OVER ONTO THE LEFT SIDE BEFORE COMING TO REST. PILOT SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AND EXITED THROUGH THE SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. PILOT WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL FOR X-RAYS AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION DUE TO FACE AND EYES INJURIES.

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 DFW06CA048Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportWashington, LAThe in-flight collision with a bird and the pilot's physical impairment (vision), directional control was not possible.Dec 30, 2005 · Substantial damage