20201108014929A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206A · Raleigh, NC · November 8, 2020

Date: November 8, 2020 · 14:45 local
Place: Raleigh, NC
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N123NC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA040
Reported as: Bell 206A
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER C20 420SHP
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,878 total101 in this make and model104 in the last 90 days

N123NCRegistered now · Bell 206AS/N 610 · Built 1971 Airframe modelBell 206A Engine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-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 approaching to land at the heliport (3NC2) over the trees flying northeast with the winds variable between 090 and 120. When the pilot was about 300 feet above the ground he began to lose control of the aircraft and was not able to regain control in the altitude available. The tail rotor hit the tree tops. Aircraft came to rest on the road next to the heliport.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT APPROACHING TO LAND AT THE HELIPORT (3NC2) OVER THE TREES FLYING NORTHEAST WITH THE WINDS VARIABLE BETWEEN 090 AND 120. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND HE BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL IN THE ALTITUDE AVAILABLE. THE TAIL ROTOR HIT THE TREE TOPS. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE ROAD NEXT TO THE HELIPORT.

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 ERA21LA040Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRaleigh, NCThe pilot's loss of helicopter control after entry into vortex ring state, which resulted in main rotor blade contact with the tailboom, and impact with the ground.Nov 8, 2020 · Substantial damage