20060712012929A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-3 · Wheeler Peak, NM · July 12, 2006

Date: July 12, 2006 · 15:15 local
Place: Wheeler Peak, NM
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N44NM
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN06LA096
Reported as: Bell 206L3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,900 total3,200 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N44NMRegistration cancelled Aug 16, 2010 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51475 · Built 1991 Airframe modelBell 206L-3 Engine modelAllison 250-C30 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 July 12, 2006, at 1515 mdst, a Bell 206 L3, N44NM, registered to msi N44NM LLC and operated by news channel 4, impacted terrain while attempting to land in the Wheeler Peak wilderness area near Wheeler Peak, new Mexico, while on an electronic news gathering flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the certificated commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at taos, NM on July 12, 2006, at 1445 mdst.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 12, 2006, AT 1515 MDST, A BELL 206 L3, N44NM, REGISTERED TO MSI N44NM LLC AND OPERATED BY NEWS CHANNEL 4, IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN THE WHEELER PEAK WILDERNESS AREA NEAR WHEELER PEAK, NEW MEXICO, WHILE ON AN ELECTRONIC NEWS GATHERING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TAOS, NM ON JULY 12, 2006, AT 1445 MDST.

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 DEN06LA096Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTaos, NMthe loss of tail rotor effectiveness during landing, and the pilot's delayed remedial action to counteract a right yaw, which resulted in a loss of directional control and collision with terrain. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to perform…Jul 12, 2006 · Substantial damage