20061111025029A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Boulder City, NV · November 11, 2006

Date: November 11, 2006 · 09:50 local
Place: Boulder City, NV
Phase of flight: Idling Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: CUCA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N59571
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX07CA034
Reported as: Bell 206B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,000 total5,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N59571Registration cancelled Jan 5, 2018 · Bell 206BS/N 1433 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) Pilot started helicopter. While engine was running the pilot exited the helicopter to unplug an auxiliary power unit. Pilot moved auxiliary power unit away from the helicopter. As the pilot was walking away from the helicopter, a gust of wind swung the tail approximately 90 degrees to the left causing the helicopter to move backwards under its own power. The helicopter went backwards off an embankment under its own power and came to rest on its right side with the nose facing downhill. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STARTED HELICOPTER. WHILE ENGINE WAS RUNNING THE PILOT EXITED THE HELICOPTER TO UNPLUG AN AUXILIARY POWER UNIT. PILOT MOVED AUXILIARY POWER UNIT AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER. AS THE PILOT WAS WALKING AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER, A GUST OF WIND SWUNG THE TAIL APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO MOVE BACKWARDS UNDER ITS OWN POWER. THE HELICOPTER WENT BACKWARDS OFF AN EMBANKMENT UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH THE NOSE FACING DOWNHILL. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

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 LAX07CA034Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBoulder City, NVthe pilot's inadequate planning and decision in his failure to reduce the engine throttle to ground idle prior to exiting the helicopter.Nov 11, 2006 · Substantial damage