- Date
- April 16, 1995, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Horseshoe Bend, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N729CHBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950416008229A
- Case key
- 9868
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to untie the main rotor tie-down strap prior to starting the helicopter.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Upon landing at his private helipad the pilot tied down the main rotor blades in a manner different than usual. During his preflight for departure, he untied the skids but forgot to untie the main rotor blades. He started the engine with the blades tied down. One blade broke 3 feet from the pivot attachment and the helicopter swung around 90 degrees on the helipad. The tailboom and fuselage were also damaged.
Factual narrative
On April 16, 1995, at 1730 central daylight time, a Bell 206B, N729CH, operated by a private instrument rated helicopter pilot, collided with the terrain during engine start at a private residence in Horseshoe Bend, Missouri. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight.
The helicopter was parked on a concrete helipad at the pilot's residence. He stated he normally tied down the main rotor blade to a lamp post in front of the helicopter. However, because of a storm approaching from the right side of the helicopter, he tied down the main rotor blades to the catwalk handrail.
He stated that when he preflighted the helicopter he untied the skid tie-downs but forgot to untie the main rotor tie-down. He started the helicopter and when power reached 21%, he noticed the rotor blades had not turned. He stated he immediately rolled off the throttle but that the power was already at 60% and he heard a loud "pop." The main rotor blade had broken approximately three feet out form the pivot bolt attachment and the helicopter turned 90 degrees on the helipad. The main rotor blade, tailboom, and fuselage were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N729CH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4240
- Airframe hours
- 835
- Engine
- Allison A250-C20B, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Heizer Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- St Louis, MO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,813 total · 62 in this make and model · 2,580 as pilot in command · 59 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AIZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.