20150310003009A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Palmer, AK · March 10, 2015

Date: March 10, 2015 · 15:00 local
Place: Palmer, AK
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N86TA
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC15CA012
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,190 total1,200 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N86TARegistration cancelled Aug 15, 2019 · Bell 206BS/N 1647 · Built 1975 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-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.

Pilot was in a hover over the knik glacier. Pilot was flying by himself from left seat. Pilot lost track of rotor RPM while concentrating on correcting N2, and the helicopter settled hard on to the glacier. Pilot brought the helicopter back in to hover, decided to return low level to Palmer airport. After climbing thru about 50 feet, engine quit and pilot immediately entered autorotation. This resulted in second hard landing, about 500 feet from first hard landing, but this time on dirt instead of glacier. Pilot exited helicopter from left exit, without injury.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS IN A HOVER OVER THE KNIK GLACIER. PILOT WAS FLYING BY HIMSELF FROM LEFT SEAT. PILOT LOST TRACK OF ROTOR RPM WHILE CONCENTRATING ON CORRECTING N2, AND THE HELICOPTER SETTLED HARD ON TO THE GLACIER. PILOT BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER BACK IN TO HOVER, DECIDED TO RETURN LOW LEVEL TO PALMER AIRPORT. AFTER CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 50 FEET, ENGINE QUIT AND PILOT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION. THIS RESULTED IN SECOND HARD LANDING, ABOUT 500 FEET FROM FIRST HARD LANDING, BUT THIS TIME ON DIRT INSTEAD OF GLACIER. PILOT EXITED HELICOPTER FROM LEFT EXIT, WITHOUT INJURY.

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 ANC15CA012Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPalmer, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain control while hovering at a low altitude, which resulted in an impact with frozen lake ice. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the helicopter from the left seat contrary to the rotorcraft flight…Mar 10, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N86TA · 2

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

Accident 19971015031299APower On Descent (Rotorcraft) · Sutton, AKExternal load line became entangled in tail rotor during landing hover landed hard. Failed drop long line. (.4)the helicopter was being landed after completion of an external load lift. The long line suspended from the helicopter became entangled in a tree.…Oct 15, 1997 · Substantial damage Incident 19810727061219IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Copper Center, AKLanded off airport due to short shaft in drive coupling failed.Jul 27, 1981 · Minor damage