# Accident 20190515011069A: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, New York, NY, May 15, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 2019, 14:26 local time
- Place: New York, NY
- Airport: West 30th Street Heliport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: Z6VA
- Location: 40.7544° N, 74.0069° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7544&lon=-74.0069&mi=10
- Aircraft: N26BB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26BB-2019-12-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (registry code 1181455, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-206l-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 206L-4
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYCE M250-C30P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 805 total, 104 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA19LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190515011069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA19LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA171), May 15, 2019: Bell 206 (N26BB), New York, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to compensate for adverse wind on final approach, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and aircraft control.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.