# Accident 20060717017069A: Bell 206B, Pompano Beach, FL, July 17, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 17, 2006, 17:25 local time
- Place: Pompano Beach, FL
- Airport: Pompano Beach Airpark Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.2344° N, 80.1008° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.2344&lon=-80.1008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N515AA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N515AA-2013-06-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 11,500 total, 375 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA06LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA06LA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060717017069A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 17 2006 A BELL HELICOPTER MODEL 206B, SERIAL NUMBER 3456, N515AA DEPARTED POMPANO BEACH AIRPORT (KPMP). THIS WAS A 14 CFR 91 FLIGHT AND VISUAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE INTENT OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE STEEP APPROACHES AND CONDUCT AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE FREON AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THE PILOT HELD AN ATP AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING. THE PILOT STATED THAT ONE STEEP APPROACH WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A SECOND APPROACH WAS INITIATED. THE APPROACH BEGAN AT THE BOUNDARY OF THE AIRPORT SLIGHTLY PARALLELING RUNWAY 15. THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT WAS THE MID-POINT OF TAXIWAY F. AT ABOUT 350 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE PILOT STATED THE BOTTOM OF THE HELICOPTER FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL OUT (SLUGGISH AND LACK OF POWER). HIS AIRSPEED WAS 45 KNOTS INDICATED AT A HEADING OF 140. THE REPORTED WINDS WERE 130 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE ROTOR RPM HAD DROPPED TO 95% (STILL WITHIN THE GREEN ARC) AND THERE WAS A NOISE EMANATING FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. FEARING A PENDING FAILURE THE PILOT DECIDED TO INCREASE AIRSPEED THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A SAFE AUTOROTATION AND LAND THE HELICOPTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO ATTEMPTA RUN-ON LANDING IN THE GRASS JUST BEYOND TAXIWAY F. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN ON THE SKIDS IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO PORPOISE HITTING THE NOSE AND TAIL ROTOR BEFORE SLIDING, ROLLING OVER WITH SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE SEVERING THE TAILBOOM AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES. KPMP AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER REACHED APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AND THEN WENT NOSE DOWN. GROUND SCARS INDICATE THE HELICOPTER LANDED TAIL LOW. A LONG SINGLE GROUND SCAR FROM THE TAIL STINGER WAS OBSERVED. A TEN TO TWELVE FOOT SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TAIL STINGER SCARE AND THE IMPRINT OF THE SKIDS INDICATE THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A STEEP FLARE AND THEN FELL TO THE GROUND. THE TAILBOOM SEVERED JUST AFT OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THIS INDICATES THAT EXCESSIVE AFT CYCLIC MAY HAVE BEEN USED WHICH ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAILBOOM. THERE WAS A SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GROUND IMPRINT OF THE SKIDS AND THE FUSELAGE SCAR INDICATING THE HELICOPTER MAY HAVE BOUNCED AND LANDED ON ITS LEFT SIDE SLIDING TO A STOP. FURTHER INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THE FREON AIR-CONDITIONED COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. IT HAD JUMPED THE DRIVE PULLEY ON THE TAIL-ROTOR DRIVESHAFT. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF NOISE THE PILOT HEARD COMING FROM BEHIND HIM AND A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 MIA06LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA06LA123), Jul 17, 2006: Bell 206B (N515AA), Pompano Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper landing flare during a precautionary landing. A factor in the accident was the unusual noise as a result of an improper repaired air conditioner compressor system.

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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