# Accident 20110513011549A: Bell 206-L4, Theodore, AL, May 13, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 2011, 11:20 local time
- Place: Theodore, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 30.1917° N, 88.0250° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1917&lon=-88.0250&mi=10
- Aircraft: N266P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N266P-2014-09-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206-L4 (registry code 1182110, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C30 series (registry code 03015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206-L4
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C30 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 16,070 total, 3,197 in this make and model, 69 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA297) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110513011549A

## Narrative

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

THE WINDS WERE GENERALLY FROM THE SOUTH, WHICH DUE TO OBSTRUCTIONS MEANT THAT THE DEPARTURE WOULD NECESSARILY BE TO EITHER THE SW OR SE.  EACH DEPARTURE DIRECTION WAS USED ON THE TWO PREVIOUS DEPARTURES AS THE WIND GRADUALLY SHIFTED FROM SE TO SW.  THE WINDS WERE NOW OUT OF THE SW AND FAVORED THAT DEPARTURE DIRECTION. DUE TO THE OBSTRUCTIONS NOTED ABOVE, THE PILOT POSITIONED HIMSELF FOR A W/SW TAKEOFF, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO TAKEOFF WITH MORE THAN NORMAL WIND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.  AFTER CLEARING THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A SLOW YAW TO THE RIGHT.  THE PILOT PUT IN FULL LEFT PEDAL BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE TURN WHICH CONTINUED A FULL 360 DEGREES.  AS THE SECOND TURN, WITH A FASTER ROTATION STARTED, THE PILOT STATED HE DIDN'T HAVE TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE.  THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A SLIGHT TAIL LOW POSITION WITH A RIGHT DRIFT(SPIN).  THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT BUT STAYED AFLOAT.  THE PILOT EGRESS THROUGH HIS BROKEN OUT WINDSCREEN, THE LEFT SEAT PILOT COULD NOT OPEN HER DOOR UNDER WATER SO SHE EGRESS THROUGH THE PILOT'S OPEN DOOR, AND THE REAR PASSENGER EGRESS THROUGH THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR.

## 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 ERA11LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA297), May 13, 2011: Bell 206-L4 (N266P), Mobile Block 114CC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s operation of the helicopter with a left, quartering headwind, resulting in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

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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