# NTSB CEN19LA269: Bell 206, N106PD, Blair, NE, August 16, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 16, 2019, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Blair, NE - Coordinates: 41.415, -96.109169 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4150&lon=-96.1092&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Omaha Police Department, FAA Lincoln FSDO, Bell Flight, Transportation Safety Board of Canada - NTSB case key (mKey): 100068 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA269 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100068/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100068 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA269 ## Probable cause The loss of main rotor rpm for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 173 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1181518), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot-in-command (PIC), who is also a flight instructor and was stationed in the right seat of the helicopter, decided to conduct emergency procedure training with a simulated governor failure of the turboshaft engine before returning to the airport to land. The co-pilot, who is not a flight instructor, was stationed in the left seat. The intent was to recover from the simulated governor failure at a safe airspeed and altitude. The PIC initiated a simulated governor failure by rolling the throttle down just enough to take the governor offline but still maintain the main rotor rpm in the green (normal) range. The helicopter descended while maintaining airspeed until over the runway. About 40 ft above ground level and about 45 knots, the PIC announced his intention to complete the training maneuver and rolled the throttle back to the full open position. The PIC verbally confirmed the main rotor rpm indication in the green range. All other indications in the helicopter appeared to be normal to the PIC. As the helicopter was in normal operating conditions, the PIC applied aft cyclic to slow down and begin air taxiing to the parking pad to the east (right) of their current position. At that moment, he heard the low main rotor rpm audible horn. The PIC confirmed a loss of engine power by referencing indications in the cockpit. The helicopter descended very rapidly toward the ground and the PIC surmised the engine was unable to produce power. The PIC reduced the collective briefly to regain main rotor energy then applied collective to cushion the landing. The helicopter impacted the runway and came to rest on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available evidence, the loss of main rotor rpm could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 16, 2019, about 0945 central daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N106PD, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Blair, Nebraska. The two commercial pilots sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations public aircraft flight. According to the Omaha Police Department Air Support Unit, the helicopter departed Blair Municipal Airport (BTA), Blair, Nebraska, for a patrol flight over Omaha, Nebraska. After about 1 hour of flight, the helicopter headed back to BTA. About 4 miles south of runway 31 at BTA, the pilot-in-command (PIC), who is also a flight instructor and was stationed in the right seat, decided to conduct emergency procedure training with a simulated governor failure of the turboshaft engine prior to landing back to the airport. The co-pilot, who is not a flight instructor, was stationed in the left seat. Since a training event was being conducted, the intent was to recover from the simulated governor failure at a safe airspeed and altitude before executing a normal landing. The PIC initiated a simulated governor failure by rolling the throttle down just enough to take the governor offline, but still maintaining the main rotor rpm in the green (normal) range. The helicopter descended while maintaining airspeed until over the runway. About 40 ft above ground level and about 45 knots, the PIC announced his intention to complete the training maneuver and rolled the throttle back to the full open position. The PIC confirmed the main rotor rpm indication in the green range, which he verbally announced. All other indications in the helicopter appeared to be normal to the PIC. As the helicopter was in normal operating conditions, the PIC applied aft cyclic to slow down and began air taxiing to the parking pad to the east (right) of their current position. At that moment, he heard the low main rotor rpm audible horn. The PIC confirmed a loss of engine power by referencing indications in the cockpit. The helicopter descended very rapidly toward the ground and the PIC surmised the engine was unable to produce power. The PIC reduced the collective briefly to regain main rotor energy and then applied collective to cushion the landing. The helicopter impacted the runway and came to rest on its left side. The PIC reported it was unknown if the engine was stilling running after the helicopter came to rest. The PIC executed an emergency shutdown and both pilots egressed from the helicopter without further incident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, the fuselage, the tailboom, and the tail rotor system. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the helicopter's maintenance records revealed no evidence of any uncorrected discrepancies with the airframe and engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N106PD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N106PD-2020-03-09), registration cancelled 2020-03-09, S/N 4649, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206 (B) - Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206b) (registry code 1181518) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20J](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20j) (registry code 54181, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4649 - Year built: 2008 - Airframe hours: 4913.8 - Engines: Rolls-Royce M250-C20J 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - local, Public use - Operator: Omaha Police Department - Registered owner: Omaha Police Department - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 5, 2019 - Departed: BTA, Blair, NE - Destination: BTA, Blair, NE - Airport: BTA, Blair Muni, runway 31, 4,201 × 100 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: minor; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 30, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,115 total, 3,950 in this make and model, 4,115 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 4-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KBTA ## 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 20190816014379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190816014379A), Aug 16, 2019: Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, Blair, NE, Substantial damage. -Pilot conducted a governor off procedure while returning from routine patrol flight. Pilot reported low rotor warning prior to accident sequence. -Observed… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100068. 8.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10936064&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1%20Redacted-Rel.pdf - Federal aviation administration record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10971677&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20ROC-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 315 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10971667&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Rolls-royce engine examination report (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10965807&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Rolls-Royce%20Engine%20Examination%20Report-Rel.pdf - N106PD ADS-B google earth file (item 5, KMZ, 206 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10960937&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=CEN19LA269%20ADS-B%20Google%20Earth%20File-Rel.kmz - NTSB party member forms (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10960927&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Member%20Forms%20Redacted-Rel.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.