What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 8, 2009, approximately 14:25 CST a Bell-206 L-4, N863H, piloted by commercial pilot, was destroyed when it impacted a field approximately 4 miles nw of Moundridge, KS. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at time of accident. Weather was clear with a light wind out of the nw. The commercial pilot was the only occupant and was fatally injured. The helicopter was on a ferry repositioning flight for part 135 operator gfla, hillcrest aircraft co. this flight originated from ogallala, NE with a planned fuel stop somewhere around wichita, KS. This was the second day of a multiple repositioning flight from lewiston, id to arlington, VA. Helicopter impacted a field in a se direction creating a debris path 60YDS long. On-board flight tracking system showed altitude fluctuations between 600 ft to 200 ft AGL over last 20 min of flight. On-scene investigation found 5 gallons of fuel in main fuel tank; 4 ground scars from main rotor blade impact; 2 ground scars from tail rotor blade impact; numerous medical supplies including blood pressure medicine, cold medicine, vitamins, blood pressure monitor, and a cpap machine. December 2008, FAA issued the pilot a 6 year authorization for special issuance of a medical certification after pilots medical information revealed a history of sleep apnea and hypertension.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 8, 2009, APPROXIMATELY 14:25 CST A BELL-206 L-4, N863H, PILOTED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES NW OF MOUNDRIDGE, KS. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH A LIGHT WIND OUT OF THE NW. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AND WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A FERRY REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FOR PART 135 OPERATOR GFLA, HILLCREST AIRCRAFT CO. THIS FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM OGALLALA, NE WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP SOMEWHERE AROUND WICHITA, KS. THIS WAS THE SECOND DAY OF A MULTIPLE REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FROM LEWISTON, ID TO ARLINGTON, VA. HELICOPTER IMPACTED A FIELD IN A SE DIRECTION CREATING A DEBRIS PATH 60YDS LONG. ON-BOARD FLIGHT TRACKING SYSTEM SHOWED ALTITUDE FLUCTUATIONS BETWEEN 600 FT TO 200 FT AGL OVER LAST 20 MIN OF FLIGHT. ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION FOUND 5 GALLONS OF FUEL IN MAIN FUEL TANK; 4 GROUND SCARS FROM MAIN ROTOR BLADE IMPACT; 2 GROUND SCARS FROM TAIL ROTOR BLADE IMPACT; NUMEROUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES INCLUDING BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINE, COLD MEDICINE, VITAMINS, BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR, AND A CPAP MACHINE. DECEMBER 2008, FAA ISSUED THE PILOT A 6 YEAR AUTHORIZATION FOR SPECIAL ISSUANCE OF A MEDICAL CERTIFICATION AFTER PILOTS MEDICAL INFORMATION REVEALED A HISTORY OF SLEEP APNEA AND HYPERTENSION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.