What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 15, 2019, this office received notification of a Bell 206 N26BB crashed into the hudson river shoreline. One person on board. (PIC). FAA teterboro office manager notified. Zip aviation operation located new jersey. Helicopter was removed from the accident location W30TH street and the hudson river, nyc. By the army core of engineers to 39th street piers in brooklyn, NY. Fuel samples collected. Flight log binder recovered and secured. The helicopter was transported to the nypd aviation unit. Helicopter was rinsed with water and a oil type spray was applied as per request from NTSB. On may 18 2019, the NTSB released the helicopter to the insurance company. The PIC was interviewed at republic airport EA-11 FSDO. The pilot provided both written and verbal statements.
The pilot stated he had just refueled on the fuel deck on the south side of jra and was repositioning the helicopter to spot #4 on the norther side of the trailer that served as the office and passenger pick up to pick up a passenger. His approach took him over the river to land spot #4. As the pilot was entering the final phase of the approach, he stated that the wind was decreasing the tail rotor authority; the onset of lte (loss of tail rotor effectiveness).the nose of the helicopter began to yaw to the right, and application of full left pedal failed to arrest the yaw. The helicopter then entered an uncontrolled spin. The pilot deployed the floats (helicopter equipment emergency floatation). The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter. Maintenance records reviewed that the Bell 206L4 manufactured 2017 is maintained utilizing a manufactures? Continued airworthiness program. Aircraft and engine total time at the time of the accident is 580.8, engine cycles 755, landings 1900AND rin?s 3800. The records show the last 180 day / 500 hour float inspection was complied with on 1/28/2019.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 15, 2019, THIS OFFICE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A BELL 206 N26BB CRASHED INTO THE HUDSON RIVER SHORELINE. ONE PERSON ON BOARD. (PIC). FAA TETERBORO OFFICE MANAGER NOTIFIED. ZIP AVIATION OPERATION LOCATED NEW JERSEY. HELICOPTER WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT LOCATION W30TH STREET AND THE HUDSON RIVER, NYC. BY THE ARMY CORE OF ENGINEERS TO 39TH STREET PIERS IN BROOKLYN, NY. FUEL SAMPLES COLLECTED. FLIGHT LOG BINDER RECOVERED AND SECURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE NYPD AVIATION UNIT. HELICOPTER WAS RINSED WITH WATER AND A OIL TYPE SPRAY WAS APPLIED AS PER REQUEST FROM NTSB. ON MAY 18 2019, THE NTSB RELEASED THE HELICOPTER TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE PIC WAS INTERVIEWED AT REPUBLIC AIRPORT EA-11 FSDO. THE PILOT PROVIDED BOTH WRITTEN AND VERBAL STATEMENTS.
THE PILOT STATED HE HAD JUST REFUELED ON THE FUEL DECK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF JRA AND WAS REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO SPOT #4 ON THE NORTHER SIDE OF THE TRAILER THAT SERVED AS THE OFFICE AND PASSENGER PICK UP TO PICK UP A PASSENGER. HIS APPROACH TOOK HIM OVER THE RIVER TO LAND SPOT #4. AS THE PILOT WAS ENTERING THE FINAL PHASE OF THE APPROACH, HE STATED THAT THE WIND WAS DECREASING THE TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY; THE ONSET OF LTE (LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS).THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO YAW TO THE RIGHT, AND APPLICATION OF FULL LEFT PEDAL FAILED TO ARREST THE YAW. THE HELICOPTER THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED SPIN. THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE FLOATS (HELICOPTER EQUIPMENT EMERGENCY FLOATATION). THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE HELICOPTER. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVIEWED THAT THE BELL 206L4 MANUFACTURED 2017 IS MAINTAINED UTILIZING A MANUFACTURES? CONTINUED AIRWORTHINESS PROGRAM. AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE TOTAL TIME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IS 580.8, ENGINE CYCLES 755, LANDINGS 1900AND RIN?S 3800. THE RECORDS SHOW THE LAST 180 DAY / 500 HOUR FLOAT INSPECTION WAS COMPLIED WITH ON 1/28/2019.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.