# NTSB CEN15LA229: Bell 206L 3, N127AE, Chesterfield, MO, May 7, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2015, 14:39 local (19:39 UTC) - Place: Chesterfield, MO - Coordinates: 38.662223, -90.651947 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6622&lon=-90.6519&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 16, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - St Louis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91161 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA229 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91161/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91161 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA229 ## Probable cause The collision of the helicopter's skid shoe with the runway centerline light during landing, which abruptly stopped the helicopter and resulted in damage to the fuselage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Airport facilities/design: runway lighting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206L-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015/cases.md?model=1182108), [All aircraft, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Bell 206L-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=1182108), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell 206L-3, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1182108), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 206L-3, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1182108), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot and flight instructor were conducting recurrent pilot training in the helicopter. They reported that the pilot was performing a practice run-on landing, during which the helicopter touched down about 5 knots and just right of the runway centerline. After skidding about 10 yards, the helicopter struck a recessed runway centerline light and then came to a stop. Examination of the light revealed that it had been struck at the leading edge of a plate that protected the light element. The helicopter had skid shoes attached to the bottom of the skid tubes, and each shoe projected down a short distance, creating a vertical lip on the bottom of the skid. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the underside of the fuselage in the area where the left skid was mounted, consistent with excessive rearward force acting on the skid. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the vertical lip on one of the skid shoes contacted the leading edge of the plate on the centerline light, which abruptly stopped the helicopter. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2015, about 1439 central daylight time, a Bell model 206-L3 helicopter, N127AE, sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during a practice run-on landing to runway 26L at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, near Chesterfield, Missouri. The pilot and instructor pilot were not injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Air Evac EMS, Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a company visual flight rules flight plan. The local flight originated about 1438.The purpose of the flight was to conduct recurrent pilot training. The flight instructor that was on-board the helicopter reported that the pilot was performing a run-on landing in conjunction with a simulated hydraulic failure. He stated that the helicopter touched down on the runway just right of the runway centerline at a speed of about 5 knots. The helicopter skidded about 10 yards and the left landing skid contacted the recessed runway centerline light. At that time the flight instructor did not believe that any damage had occurred to the helicopter or the runway light, but elected to return to the hangar. The damage to the helicopter was discovered after engine shutdown. The pilot's report of the accident coincided with that of the instructor. Examination of the runway light revealed that the runway light had a rectangular metal cover over a recessed area of the metal light base to protect the light element. The cover had a portion of the approach side of the metal cover torn away. Examination of the helicopter landing gear revealed that removable protective shoes were mounted on the bottom surface of the skid tube to prevent abrasion. The skid shoes were semi-circular metal pieces attached to the bottom side of each skid tube. The skid shoes were not continuous and the construction was such that a short vertical lip was formed at the leading edge of each shoe on the underside of the skid tube. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the underside of the fuselage in the area where the left skid was mounted. The damage was consistent with excessive rearward force acting on the skid. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N127AE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N127AE-2017-05-26), registration cancelled 2017-05-26, S/N 51592, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206L 3 (L3) - Registry model: [Bell 206L-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (registry code 1182108) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C30 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (registry code 03015, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 51592 - Year built: 1992 - Airframe hours: 13063 - Engines: ALLISON 250-C30 SER 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Air Evac Ems Inc - Registered owner: Air Evac Ems Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, April 16, 2015 - Departed: SUS, Chesterfield, MO - Destination: SUS, Chesterfield, MO - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: SUS, Spirit of St Louis, runway 26L, 7,485 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,550 total, 145 in this make and model, 3,746 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,808 total, 2,391 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 9 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: SUS ## 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 20150507006129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150507006129A), May 7, 2015: Bell 206L-3, Chesterfield, MO, Substantial damage. During a training flight conducted at the Spirit of st. Louis airport (ksus), Chesterfield, Missouri, at approximately 1500 central daylight time, may 7, 2015,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91161. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 861 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437491&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statements (item 2, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437492&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statements-Master.PDF - Photograph Log (item 3, .PDF, 5 photos, 413 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437494&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20Log-Master.PDF 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.