20170526006839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Rockville, ID · May 26, 2017

Date: May 26, 2017 · 10:44 local
Place: Rockville, ID
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 4NHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N24FS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR17LA113
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,900 total150 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N24FSRegistration cancelled Aug 28, 2021 · Bell 206BS/N 2040 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C20BTurbo-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 performing 137 operations. Pilot reported a grinding noise and a loud bang, followed by a loss of power. Helicopter descended from 50 feet with a hard landing in a field. Pilot was unable to get out of the helicopter because of a broken lower back. The operators ground crew removed the pilot from the helicopter and called for first responders.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS PERFORMING 137 OPERATIONS. PILOT REPORTED A GRINDING NOISE AND A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER. HELICOPTER DESCENDED FROM 50 FEET WITH A HARD LANDING IN A FIELD. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HELICOPTER BECAUSE OF A BROKEN LOWER BACK. THE OPERATORS GROUND CREW REMOVED THE PILOT FROM THE HELICOPTER AND CALLED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.

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 WPR17LA113Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRockville, IDThe in-flight failure of the engine-to-transmission drive shaft due to a fatigue fracture of one of the KAflex flex frames caused by a loose bolt, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and a subsequent hard landing.May 26, 2017 · Substantial damage