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20100831045829A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bell Helico 206L-1 · Walnut Grove, AR · August 31, 2010

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 31, 2010 · 03:53 local
Place
Walnut Grove, AR
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
EVCA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N62AE
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN10FA509
Reported as
Bell Helico 206L-1
Reported engine
Allison 250 SER 400HP
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
3
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
2,750 total369 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N62AERegistration cancelled Oct 25, 2010 · Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1S/N 45169 · Built 1978Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 206L-1Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-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.

Radar returns show the aircraft in level flight for a considerable length of time. The radar track shows the aircraft climbing abruptly and making a left turn. The turn reverses to the right and the aircraft descends. The last radar hit is close to the ground impact point of the main rotor.

As the FAA filed it

RADAR RETURNS SHOW THE AIRCRAFT IN LEVEL FLIGHT FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME. THE RADAR TRACK SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBING ABRUPTLY AND MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE TURN REVERSES TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDS. THE LAST RADAR HIT IS CLOSE TO THE GROUND IMPACT POINT OF THE MAIN ROTOR.

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 CEN10FA509Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportWalnut Grove, ARThe pilot’s loss of aircraft control, due to spatial disorientation, resulting in the in-flight separation of the main rotor and tail boom.Aug 31, 2010 · Substantial damage