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20110301003649A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 206B-III · Erda, UT · March 1, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 1, 2011 · 08:30 local
Place
Erda, UT
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N206BY
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR11LA151
Reported as
Bell 206B-III
Reported engine
Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
7,760 total1 in this make and model75 in the last 90 days
N206BYRegistration cancelled Oct 23, 2018 · Bell 206B-IIIS/N 2871 · Built 1979Airframe modelBell 206B-IIIEngine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

One pilot was practicing maneuvering the helicopter in order to place a specific long-line practice load of about 50 pounds over a specific location at the time the accident sequence began. Reportedly, the helicopter was about 140 feet off the ground, and moving forward towards the designated spot at about 10-12 knots, when the helicopter suddenly yawed to the right. The pilot-flying (pf) immediately applied left anti-torque pedal, but this did not slow the yaw. The pf therefore lowered the collective in order to keep the helicopter from spinning to the right, and as a result of the lowered collective, the helicopter descended rapidly toward the ground. Just before the helicopter impacted the terrain, the pf applied up collective in order to reduce the force. The pilot-not-flying (pnf), was watching the approach to the designated area. The pnf stated that she further lowered the collective when the pf had made that control input. The pnf stated that she turned off the fuel shut off switch and rolled off the throttle. Neither pilot state that there was no indication of a loss of engine power or main rotor RPM.

As the FAA filed it

ONE PILOT WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERING THE HELICOPTER IN ORDER TO PLACE A SPECIFIC LONG-LINE PRACTICE LOAD OF ABOUT 50 POUNDS OVER A SPECIFIC LOCATION AT THE TIME THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE BEGAN. REPORTEDLY, THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 140 FEET OFF THE GROUND, AND MOVING FORWARD TOWARDS THE DESIGNATED SPOT AT ABOUT 10-12 KNOTS, WHEN THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY YAWED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT-FLYING (PF) IMMEDIATELY APPLIED LEFT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL, BUT THIS DID NOT SLOW THE YAW. THE PF THEREFORE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FROM SPINNING TO THE RIGHT, AND AS A RESULT OF THE LOWERED COLLECTIVE, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY TOWARD THE GROUND. JUST BEFORE THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, THE PF APPLIED UP COLLECTIVE IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE FORCE. THE PILOT-NOT-FLYING (PNF), WAS WATCHING THE APPROACH TO THE DESIGNATED AREA. THE PNF STATED THAT SHE FURTHER LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE WHEN THE PF HAD MADE THAT CONTROL INPUT. THE PNF STATED THAT SHE TURNED OFF THE FUEL SHUT OFF SWITCH AND ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE. NEITHER PILOT STATE THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OR MAIN ROTOR RPM.

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 WPR11LA151Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTooele, UTThe pilot did not maintain yaw control of the helicopter during a maneuvering hover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model helicopter.Mar 1, 2011 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N206BY · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870819049539IPrw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft · Bowling Green, VARotor blade struck an antenna mount on a post during landing, following spray operations.Aug 19, 1987 · Minor damage