- Date
- November 7, 1986, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Billings, MT
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3889SBell 206L-3
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861107054299A
- Case key
- 17082
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Misc eqpt/furnishings - otherCause
Aircraft preflight - not performedCause
Pressure induced by othersCause
Weather condition - snow
Weather condition - low ceiling
Weather condition - fog
Loss of control - in flight
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - none suitableFactor
Terrain condition - high obstruction(s)Factor
Analysis
While on takeoff from a hospital roof top helipad on an emergency medical service flt, a synchronized elevator cover blew off and struck the tail rotor. This resulted in an inflight separation of one tail rotor blade and a loss of anti-torque control. The plt executed an autorotation in the urban area with no suitable terrain for an emergency forced landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3889S
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45576
- Airframe hours
- 2,869
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Rocky Mountain Helicopter Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · November 4, 1986 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- Billings, MT
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 1,350 in this make and model · 6,730 as pilot in command · 73 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BIL, 1 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.