20120502009059A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Valley Falls, KS · May 2, 2012

Date: May 2, 2012 · 09:45 local
Place: Valley Falls, KS
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N85RB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA267
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,456 total2 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N85RBRegistered now · Bell 206BS/N 831 · Built 1972 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C20Turbo-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.

Aircraft departed lawrence, KS with one pilot and two passengers on board for the purpose of conducting pipeline patrol operations. According to the pilot's statement, approximately 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot slowed the aircraft to a hover at approximately 100 to 150 feet AGL on an approximate heading of 240 degrees (reported wind was 190 @ 9 gusting to 17 knots). The pilot then initiated a right turn and began to lose tail rotor effectiveness. According to the pilot and other witnesses, the aircraft rotated to the right approximately 5 turns before impacting a row of trees, eventually coming to rest on its left side after impacting terrain near a railroad track. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meterological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Post accident investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAWRENCE, KS WITH ONE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING PIPELINE PATROL OPERATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO A HOVER AT APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 150 FEET AGL ON AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 240 DEGREES (REPORTED WIND WAS 190 @ 9 GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS). THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND BEGAN TO LOSE TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND OTHER WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 TURNS BEFORE IMPACTING A ROW OF TREES, EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE AFTER IMPACTING TERRAIN NEAR A RAILROAD TRACK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

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 CEN12LA267Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportValley Falls, KSThe pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during a hover maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.May 2, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N85RB · 1

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

Accident 20230611008069ALanding: Approach · Pratt, KSHaving completed first job, the pilot headed for peeryton (kpxy) for refuel. No fuel available. Next he headed to ashland, KS and to commanche co. (K38K) for fuel. No fuel available there. But he had looked at comanche co, TX by mistake. With 15 gal of fuel…Jun 11, 2023 · Substantial damage