# Accident 20090826051219A: Bell 206L-3, White Plains, NY, August 26, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 26, 2009, 12:07 local time
- Place: White Plains, NY
- Airport: Westchester County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: Z6VA
- Location: 41.0669° N, 73.7075° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0669&lon=-73.7075&mi=10
- Aircraft: N22ZA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N22ZA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206L-3 (registry code 1182108, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L-3
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA485](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA485) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090826051219A

## Narrative

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

DURING AN EXTERNAL START PROCEDURE OF N22ZA WITH A GROUND POWER UNIT (GPU) THE PILOT FAILED TO DISCONNECT THE GROUND POWER UNIT AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF INTO FORWARD HOVER FLIGHT WHILE STILL CONNECTED TO THE GPU. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL THE HELICOPTER BUT LANDED HARD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE PILOT WAS THE SOUL OCCUPANT.

## 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 ERA09CA485](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA485), Aug 26, 2009: Bell 206L-3 (N22ZA), White Plains, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to disconnect the ground power unit prior to takeoff.

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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