# Accident 20080111000349A: Bell 206B, La Verne, CA, January 11, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 11, 2008, 16:22 local time
- Place: La Verne, CA
- Airport: Brackett Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi, Other Helicopter
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0917° N, 117.7818° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BRACKETT FLD (POC), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0917&lon=-117.7818&mi=10
- Aircraft: N49588 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080111000349A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING MAINTENANCE EVENT INVOLVING THE DYNAMIC BALANCE AND TRACKING OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, HE REMOVED THE LEFT SEAT COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC CONTROLS TO FACILITATE THE MECHANIC'S USE OF A CHADWICK DYNAMIC BALANCING COMPUTER. AFTER REMOVING THE COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC CONTROLS THE PILOT FAILED TO INSTALL A SMALL CUBICAL COVER WHICH SIMPLY SNAPS INTO PLACE TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF MISHAP. AFTER MANY HOVERING AND FORWARD FLIGHT EVOLUTIONS THE BALANCE AND TRACKING OF THE ROTOR BLADES WAS COMPLETE. THE MECHANIC PLACED THE CHADWICK COMPUTER ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR DIRECTLY BEHIND HIS LEGS. THE PILOT AND MECHANIC AGAIN LIFTED INTO A HOVER TO TAXI BACK TO THE HANGAR. DURING THIS INITIAL LIFTING INTO THE HOVER THE CHADWICK COMPUTER AND ASSOCIATED CABLES BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE CYCLIC CONTROL MOUNT WHICH JAMMED THE CYCLIC CONTROL PREVENTING THE PILOT FROM EXERCISING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN THE CYCLIC CONTROL JAMMED THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT LANDING HARD ON THE LEFT SKID BREAKING IT INTO SEVERAL PIECES. DURING THIS EVENT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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