# NTSB ANC00LA055: Bell 206B, N49686, Haines, AK, May 5, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 5, 2000, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Haines, AK - Coordinates: 59.160419, -135.86029 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.1604&lon=-135.8603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 14, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50958 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50958/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA055 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - rotor system,tail rotor blade - blade strike ## Analysis The certificated commercial helicopter pilot was landing on an elevated landing platform. After landing, as the throttle was retarded to the flight idle position, the helicopter began to shake violently, and tip backwards. The pilot opened the throttle in an attempt to restore rotor rpm, but the helicopter continued to tip backwards, and the tail rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial to the tail rotor gearbox assembly, and vertical fin. According to a FAA operations inspector, the pilot stated to him that after she had an opportunity to think about the events surrounding the accident, she felt that she had landed the helicopter with the rear skid cross-tube over the aft edge of the elevated platform. ## Factual narrative On May 5, 2000, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a high skid, pop-out float equipped Bell 206B helicopter, N49686, sustained substantial damage while landing, about 20 miles southeast of Haines, Alaska, at latitude 58 degrees, 55 minutes north, and longitude 135 degrees, 11 minutes west. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc., Juneau, Alaska. The solo certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was in effect. The flight originated at the Juneau International Airport, Juneau, about 1325. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on May 5, the pilot reported that she was landing on an elevated landing platform, at a remote radio repeater site. She said that after landing, as she retarded the throttle to the flight idle position, the helicopter began to shake violently, and tip backwards. She added that she opened the throttle in an attempt to restore rotor rpm, but the helicopter continued to tip backwards, and the tail rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial to the tail rotor gearbox assembly, and vertical fin. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector, Juneau Flight Standards District Office on May 5, the pilot stated to him that after she had an opportunity to think about the events surrounding the accident, she felt that she had landed the helicopter with the rear skid cross-tube over the aft edge of the elevated platform. ## Aircraft - Registration: N49686 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1905 - Airframe hours: 8246 - Engines: Allison 250-C20 425 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Coastal Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 21, 2000, 15 hours before - Departed: JNU, JUNEAU, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 2,046 total, 962 in this make and model, 1,934 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 39 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000505042039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000505042039A), May 5, 2000: Bell 206B3, Juneau, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was landing at remote site on 18FT x 18FT wooden helicopter platform elevated 6 ft above the ground. After landing the pilot reduced power and the… 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. --- 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.