20090702011799A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-1 · Summit County, CO · July 2, 2009

Date: July 2, 2009 · 15:15 local
Place: Summit County, CO
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N38AZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09LA413
Reported as: Bell 206L1
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N38AZRegistration cancelled Mar 18, 2011 · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1S/N 45748 · Built 1982 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 Engine modelAllison 250-C28 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) While performing an external load operation the pilot noticed the aircraft start to rotate he attempted to stop the rotation but was unable, he then released the load and but was still unable to regain control which resulted in a hard impact with the ground and then the aircraft rolled over. The pilot sustained serious injuries and one person on the ground sustained minor injuries when the aircraft rolled over on him and pinned him under it. The external load operation was being conducted in mountainious terrain at a approximate altitude of 13,000 feet MSL.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE PERFORMING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION THE PILOT NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT START TO ROTATE HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ROTATION BUT WAS UNABLE, HE THEN RELEASED THE LOAD AND BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT WITH THE GROUND AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND ONE PERSON ON THE GROUND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON HIM AND PINNED HIM UNDER IT. THE EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN MOUNTAINIOUS TERRAIN AT A APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 13,000 FEET MSL.

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 CEN09LA413Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBreckenridge, COThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to monitor wind direction while operating in the "Critical Wind Azimuth Area."Jul 2, 2009 · Substantial damage