# Accident 20140617008589A: Bell 206B, Decatur, TX, June 17, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 17, 2014, 15:15 local time
- Place: Decatur, TX
- Airport: Decatur Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2578° N, 97.5811° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2578&lon=-97.5811&mi=10
- Aircraft: N536T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N536T-2023-03-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 9,500 total, 1,925 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA296) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140617008589A

## Narrative

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

THE FLIGHT WAS AN EBC QUARTERLY CURRENCY TRAINING FLIGHT EVENT. AFTER DEPARTING KAFW THE HELICOPTER PROCEEDED TO DECATUR (KLUD). THE FLIGHT WENT THROUGH WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A NORMAL ROUTINE OF PRACTICE APPROACHES AND SPECIALIZED LANDING AND TOUCH DOWN MANEUVERS. THREE 180 DEGREE AUTO ROTATIONS TO A POWERED HOVER RECOVERY WERE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT . WHILE IN THE POWERED HOVER THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING A 180 DEGREE AUTO ROTATION TO THE KLUD RUNWAY 17 FIXED DISTANTS MARKERS. THE MANEUVER WAS TO END IN A POWERED HOVER RECOVERY. THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER DURING RECOVERY PHASE OF THE MANEUVER, BUT FELT RESISTANCE IN THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE CALLED OUT ?POWER? AND THEN REACHED FOR HIS THROTTLE TO ENSURE IT WAS MAX BUT FELT RESISTANCE. SITE INVESTIGATION SHOWS EVIDENCE THAT THE TAIL SECTION CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY THEN SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THE GROUND ON SKIDS AND CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY UPRIGHT AND TERMINATED ON THE WEST EDGE OF THE RUNWAY WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC WITH WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH 160 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS.

## 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 CEN14LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA296), Jun 17, 2014: Bell 206B (N536T), Decatur, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

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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