20231017012299A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 · Mitchell, IN · October 17, 2023

Date: October 17, 2023 · 10:50 local
Place: Mitchell, IN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: EVCA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N490AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN24LA017
Reported as: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,200 total

N490AERegistered now · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4S/N 52336 · Built 2006 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C30PTurbo-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.

On October 17, 2023 at approximately 1050 eastern standard time a Bell helicopter was enroute (1,000 AGL) back to base from iu methodist, Indiana, when a large bird struck the aircraft. The pilot stated upon impact, the helicopter began shaking violently. The pilot made the decision to make an emergency landing, autorotating full down in a field located near Mitchell, Indiana.

The bird impacted the main rotor pitch change rod, severly bending it, causing damage that adversely affected the flight characteristics of the helicopter. The top of the vertical fin appeared to be damaged from the event.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 17, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1050 EASTERN STANDARD TIME A BELL HELICOPTER WAS ENROUTE (1,000 AGL) BACK TO BASE FROM IU METHODIST, INDIANA, WHEN A LARGE BIRD STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED UPON IMPACT, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, AUTOROTATING FULL DOWN IN A FIELD LOCATED NEAR MITCHELL, INDIANA.

THE BIRD IMPACTED THE MAIN ROTOR PITCH CHANGE ROD, SEVERLY BENDING IT, CAUSING DAMAGE THAT ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HELICOPTER. THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL FIN APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED FROM THE EVENT.

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 CEN24LA017Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMitchell, INThe inflight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.Oct 17, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N490AE · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20200605006779ICruise/Level Flight · Louisville, KY6/5/2020 N490AE departed from base AE017 paoli, IN, experienced an electrical system failure while en route to norton children?s hospital in Louisville, KY with a patient on board. Pilot squawked 7600 and occ contacted Louisville approach. Pilot landed the…Jun 5, 2020 · No damage