# Incident 20120413006569I: Bell 205A-1, Hot Springs, VA, April 13, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 13, 2012, 14:00 local time
- Place: Hot Springs, VA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: H11L
- Location: 38.0013° N, 79.8239° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hot Springs, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0013&lon=-79.8239&mi=10
- Aircraft: N17HX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N17HX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 205A-1 (registry code 1181414, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-205a-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 205A-1
- Reported engine: LYCOMING T-53
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,600 total, 600 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120413006569I

## Narrative

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

WHILE ENGAGED IN FIRE FIGHTING ACTIVITIES AND PREPARING TO FILL THE WATER BUCKET FROM A POND.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. IN PREPARATION FOR AN POSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEM THE PILOT APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC, AND BECAUSE THE EXTERNAL LOAD WAS SUBMERGED, CAUSED THE EXTERNAL LOAD HOOK TO CONTACT THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE.

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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