# Accident 20230723020759A: Bell 206-L4, Caldwell, OH, July 23, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 2023, 14:37 local time
- Place: Caldwell, OH
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: BZHL
- Location: 39.7139° N, 81.5606° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7139&lon=-81.5606&mi=10
- Aircraft: N482TJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N482TJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206-L4 (registry code 1182110, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C30 series (registry code 03015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206-L4
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C30 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,674 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA309) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230723020759A

## Narrative

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

7/24/2023 STARTED ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A BELL 206 L4 HELICOPTER AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CALDWELL, OHIO. THIS AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY OPERATED ON A 133/135 AND 135 CERTIFICATE BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WORLAND, WY, FAA CERTIFICATE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (133)^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^(135) AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (137). 7/24/2023 SCENE DETAILS TO BE ENTERED ON THE 8020-23. THE BELL 206 L4 HAD A LONGLINE LOAD OF BAGS ATTACHED FOR PART 133 OPERATIONS RELATED TO OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION WORK IN THE AREA. BASED UPON THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION THE AIRCRAFT HAD A VERY LOW FORWARD AIRSPEED, IF ALMOST 0. IT CAME DOWN FROM A HEIGHT FROM THE TREES AT NEARLY 60 FEET IN THE FOREST, STRAIGHT DOWN IN A NEAR HORIZONTAL FASHION. THE M/R ROTOR INERTIA WAS SUFFICIENT TO DISPLACE M/R BLADE FRAGMENTS ALL OVER THE ACCIDENT SITE WITH TREE SCARS AND REMOVED TREE LIMBS. THE T/R SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE IMPACT OF THE GROUND, AS A RESULT OF THE TAILBOOM SEPARATED AS PART OF THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. TURNING THE T/R DRIVESHAFT BY HAND SHOWED, M/R ROTATION AND ENGINE CONNECTION AS WELL INTO THE ENGINE GEARBOX. ONCE IT HIT THE GROUND THE FUSELAGE ROLLED OVER ALMOST UPSIDE DOWN, WITH THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT RIPPED OPEN, TAKING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND OTHER ITEMS COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER STRUCTURE INCLUDING THE T/R PEDALS. THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING LONG ENOUGH, TO TANGLE THE LONGLINE UP INTO THE MAIN ROTOR MAST, WITH BURN MARKS ON THE GROUND FROM THE EXHAUST. NATURALLY WITH THE AIRCRAFT UPSIDE DOWN AS A RESULT, FUEL STARVATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON THE ENGINE FINALLY QUIT AND NO FUEL REACHING THE BOOST PUMP. 7/26/2023 CONDUCTED MEETING WITH ASI^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FAA ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. REVIEWED AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS AND RECORDS FOR 14 CFR 91.409 (F)(3) COMPLIANCE AND AIRCRAFT STATUS FOR 14 CFR 91.417 COMPLIANCE. FOUND ACCEPTABLE AT THIS TIME. STILL AWAITING ENGINE LOGBOOK INFORMATION FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR 135.421 COMPLIANCE WITH OPS SPEC. D101 FOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE THE ENGINE LOGBOOK RECORDS FOR REVIEW BY EMAIL SINCE LAST OVERHAUL. 7/27/2023 DISCUSSED FINDINGS OF INVESTIGATION AND TECHNICAL ISSUES FROM PHOTOGRAPHS WITH NTSB INVESTIGATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY TELEPHONE.

## 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 ERA23LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA309), Jul 23, 2023: Bell 206-L4 (N482TJ), Caldwell, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The helicopter’s uncontrolled vertical descent and impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined.

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.

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