# Accident 20231017012299A: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, Mitchell, IN, October 17, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 2023, 10:50 local time
- Place: Mitchell, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: EVCA
- Location: 38.7697° N, 86.4192° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7697&lon=-86.4192&mi=10
- Aircraft: N490AE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N490AE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (registry code 1181455, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-206l-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (registry code 54013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c30p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 206L-4
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C30P
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,200 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA017) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231017012299A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN24LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA017), Oct 17, 2023: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (N490AE), Mitchell, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inflight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.

## Other reports on N490AE (1)

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

- [Incident 20200605006779I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200605006779I), Jun 5, 2020: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (N490AE), Louisville, KY, No damage. 6/5/2020 N490AE departed from base AE017 paoli, IN, experienced an electrical system failure while en route to norton children?s hospital in Louisville, KY…

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.