20091118051329A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Lyons, OR · November 18, 2009

Date: November 18, 2009 · 09:45 local
Place: Lyons, OR
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: L9QL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N16869
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10CA057
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,150 total1,520 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

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.

While approaching the drop off point for an external load of christmas trees pilot states that he lost lift and ended up landing hard. Substantial damage to tail boom plus tail rotor blades struck pile of christmas trees prior to complete shutdown. I person on board, no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE APPROACHING THE DROP OFF POINT FOR AN EXTERNAL LOAD OF CHRISTMAS TREES PILOT STATES THAT HE LOST LIFT AND ENDED UP LANDING HARD. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO TAIL BOOM PLUS TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK PILE OF CHRISTMAS TREES PRIOR TO COMPLETE SHUTDOWN. I PERSON ON BOARD, NO INJURIES.

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 WPR10CA057Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLyons, ORThe pilot's inadvertent encounter with a vortex ring state (settling with power) condition while he was descending, and his improper initial remedial action.Nov 18, 2009 · Substantial damage