# Accident 20120509008699A: Bell 206B, Flora, IN, May 9, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 9, 2012, 09:05 local time
- Place: Flora, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: XPJG
- Location: 40.4856° N, 86.5453° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4856&lon=-86.5453&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1069Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1069Z-2017-10-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (registry code 54385, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,652 total, 700 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA282) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120509008699A

## Narrative

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

ON WEDNESDAY MAY 9TH AT APPROXIMATELY 1305Z, A BELL 206B III, N1069Z, CRASHED IN A WHEAT FIELD NEAR FLORA, INDIANA. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY TOWNSEND AVIATION.  THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY BRIAN TOWNSEND CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS.DURING THE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RAN OUT OF CHEMICAL SPRAY IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS SPRAYING OPERATION AND RETURNED TO THE TRUCK TO RESUPPLY WITH CHEMICAL PRODUCT.  THE PILOT THEN RETURNED TO THE AREA OF THE FIELD WHERE HE LEFT OFF.  APPROACHING THE AREA FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST (45 DEGREE ANGLE), THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE A CLIMBING LEFT-TURN IN ORDER TO LINE-UP FOR THE NEXT SPRAY OPERATION TO THE EAST.  THIS CLIMBING LEFT TURN WAS SLOW AND GRADUAL.  HE FURTHER STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A TYPICAL AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS TYPE OF TURN.  DURING THE CLIMBING LEFT-TURN THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AND SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 45 KTS.  THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE MADE THE TURN TO LINE UP FOR THE SWATH HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT BEGIN TO DESCEND AND SETTLE INTO THE FLIGHT PATH.  HE ALSO NOTED MUSHY CONTROLS.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING BACK INTO AN AREA OF DISTURBED AIR.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS DISTURBED AIR WAS FROM THE ROTOR DOWNWASH FROM THE HELICOPTERS ARRIVAL FLIGHT PATH.  THE DOWNWASH OR DISTURBED AIR WAS CARRIED BY THE NORTHWESTERLY WIND INTO THE EAST FLIGHT PATH (QUARTERING TAILWIND).  THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING BACK INTO THIS DOWNWASH CAUSING A "SETTLING WITH POWER" EFFECT.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REACTED BY INCREASING COLLECTIVE IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SETTLING.  THE INCREASED COLLECTIVE AGGRAVATED THE DESCENT AND THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE ON AN EAST HEADING WITH A GROUNDSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH.  THE IMPACT CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO BEND DOWNWARD SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE FACING WEST.  THE PILOT WAS WEARING A 4-POINT SAFETY HARNESS AND A FLIGHT HELMET WITH THE EYE PROTECTION VISOR DOWN.THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED HIS LAFAYETTE, IN METAR FROM A COMMERCIAL WEATHER SOURCE, WEATHERTAP.  THE WINDS WERE APPROXIMATELY 300 DEGREES AT 10 KTS.

## 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 CEN12LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA282), May 9, 2012: Bell 206B-III (N1069Z), Flora, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot allowed the helicopter to settle with power.

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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