20140730012879A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Spring, TX · July 30, 2014

Date: July 30, 2014 · 10:50 local
Place: Spring, TX
Airport: David Wayne Hooks
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N866H
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14LA465
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 317HP
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 50 total50 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N866HRegistered now · Bell 206BS/N 3291 · Built 1981 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 317HPTurbo-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.

The helicopter was leased from a part 135 operator to the sheriffs department for air support operations. Sheriffs department personnel were operating the aircraft. The aircrew (a pilot in command and a tactical flight officer) entered the aircraft and began startup procedures before the main rotor blade tie downs had been removed.

After the engine started the main rotor blades began to rotate and allowed the tie down strap and metal apparatus to damage the main rotor, the tail rotor and structures at the rear of the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

THE HELICOPTER WAS LEASED FROM A PART 135 OPERATOR TO THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT FOR AIR SUPPORT OPERATIONS. SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WERE OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCREW (A PILOT IN COMMAND AND A TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER) ENTERED THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN STARTUP PROCEDURES BEFORE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIE DOWNS HAD BEEN REMOVED.

AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEGAN TO ROTATE AND ALLOWED THE TIE DOWN STRAP AND METAL APPARATUS TO DAMAGE THE MAIN ROTOR, THE TAIL ROTOR AND STRUCTURES AT THE REAR OF 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 CEN14LA465Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSpring, TXThe pilot's distraction by a cell phone call, which led to his failure to perform an exterior check of the helicopter and resulted in a tie-down strap remaining attached to the main rotor during the engine start.Jul 30, 2014 · Substantial damage