# NTSB ATL04LA076: Bell 206, N35Q, Locust Grove, GA, February 21, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 21, 2004, 13:12 local (18:12 UTC) - Place: Locust Grove, GA - Coordinates: 33.363887, -84.165 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3639&lon=-84.1650&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Atlanta FSDO-11 - NTSB case key (mKey): 58784 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58784/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA076 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter while lifting off a dolly to a hover. This resulted in the tail rotor blades and main rotor blades colliding with the ground and subsequent roll over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, hover - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - terrain condition - ground - Roll over, hover ## Analysis The pilot landed on a dolly at an angle. The pilot elected to reposition the helicopter so it would be straight on the dolly. The pilot increased collective pitch and the dolly started moving. The nose of the helicopter pitched up and to the left, and the tail rotor blades collided with the ground. The helicopter started turning to the left, and the pilot lowered the collective pitch. The main rotor blades collided with the ground and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter before the accident. ## Factual narrative On February 21, 2004, at 1312 eastern standard time, a Bell 206, N35Q, registered to Fayette Air Services LLC, operated by a private owner as a 14 CFR Part 91 repositioning flight, collided with the ground while attempting to takeoff to a hover from a portable platform. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident on February 21, 2004. The pilot stated he had completed a flight from Andrews, North Carolina, to Locust Grove, Georgia. He landed on a portable dolly in order to move the helicopter into a hanger for parking. He landed at an angle on the dolly and elected to reposition the helicopter. The dolly was chocked on a 2 to 3-degree down slope. He increased the collective pitch and the dolly started moving. The nose of the helicopter pitched up and to the left, the tail rotor collided with the ground, and he lowered the collective pitch. The tail rotor blades separated and the helicopter started turning to the left. The main rotor blades collided with the ground and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter before the accident. Examination of the crash site revealed the helicopter came to rest on its right side about 50 feet from the dolly. The tail boom had separated as well as the tail rotor and main rotor blades. Ground scars were located on the ground behind the helicopter where the tail rotor blades had collided with the ground. In addition, ground scars were present on the ground where the main rotor blades collided with the ground. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35Q-2004-12-01), registration cancelled 2004-12-01, S/N 3073 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206 - Registry model: [Bell 206](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206) (registry code 1181502) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3073 - Airframe hours: 12237 - Engines: Allison C250-L20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: William H. Martin Jr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2003, 35 hours before - Departed: GA04, Locust Grove, GA - Destination: GA04 - Airport: GA04, Mallard Landing ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 14, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 1,190 total, 170 in this make and model, 1,143 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ATL, 21 nm away ## 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 20040221030369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040221030369A), Feb 21, 2004: Bell 206BELL, Locust Grove, GA, Substantial damage. (-23) Examination of the crash site was conducted on February 22, 2004. The pilot stated he was attempting to reposition the helicopter on a dolly in order to… 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.