20150324004229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Taylors Island, MD · March 24, 2015

Date: March 24, 2015 · 17:30 local
Place: Taylors Island, MD
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N43CM
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA179
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 608 total109 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N43CMRegistration cancelled Feb 28, 2018 · Bell 206BS/N 2025 · Built 1976 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 stated during level cruise there was a sudden drop in altitude, followed by a 90 degree rotation to the left. The pilot performed autorotation into the water approximately 25 feet from the shore.

Aircraft landed in an upright position in approximately three feet of water.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED DURING LEVEL CRUISE THERE WAS A SUDDEN DROP IN ALTITUDE, FOLLOWED BY A 90 DEGREE ROTATION TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT PERFORMED AUTOROTATION INTO THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET FROM THE SHORE.

AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION IN APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET OF WATER.

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 ERA15LA179Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTaylors Island, MDA partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.Mar 24, 2015 · Substantial damage