# NTSB DFW06CA048: Bell 206L-4, N1811, Washington, LA, December 30, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 30, 2005, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Washington, LA - Coordinates: 30.605833, -91.991943 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6058&lon=-91.9919&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Baton Rouge, LA, FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63037 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06CA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63037/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=63037 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06CA048 ## Probable cause The in-flight collision with a bird and the pilot's physical impairment (vision), directional control was not possible. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, cruise - normal - physical impairment(visual deficiency), pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - bird(s) (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, emergency descent/landing - directional control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The 13,355-hour air transport pilot was in cruise flight at approximately 500 feet mean sea level (MSL) at approximately 120 miles per hour. The pilot looked down to scan the helicopter's instruments. As he began to look up, a large buzzard collided with the right windscreen and struck the pilot's face. The impact with the buzzard and the wind coming through the broken windscreen caused the pilot to become temporarily blinded. The pilot reported that he felt the helicopter pitch-up, and as he attempted to regain control of the turbine powered helicopter, blood began to hinder his vision. The pilot elected to execute a running landing into a bean field in his flight path. During the descent, the pilot was forced to use both hands and was unable to clear his vision. The pilot lost sight of the ground and the helicopter impacted on the aft portion of the left landing skid, rolled over and came to rest on its left side in a soybean field. The pilot reported having accumulated approximately 1,900-hours in the same make and model, with about 120 hours in the preceding 90 days. ## Factual narrative The 13,355-hour air transport pilot was in cruise flight at approximately 500 feet mean sea level (MSL) at approximately 120 miles per hour. The pilot looked down to scan the helicopter's instruments. As he began to look up, a large buzzard collided with the right windscreen and struck the pilot's face. The impact with the buzzard and the wind coming through the broken windscreen caused the pilot to become temporarily blinded. The pilot reported that he felt the helicopter pitch-up, and as he attempted to regain control of the turbine powered helicopter, blood began to hinder his vision. The pilot elected to execute a running landing into a bean field in his flight path. During the descent, the pilot was forced to use both hands and was unable to clear his vision. The pilot lost sight of the ground and the helicopter impacted on the aft portion of the left landing skid, rolled over and came to rest on its left side in a soybean field. The pilot reported having accumulated approximately 1,900-hours in the same make and model, with about 120 hours in the preceding 90 days. ## Aircraft - Registration: N1811 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bell 206L-4 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 52300 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250C-30 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Southern Helicopters, Inc., doing business as Southern Helicopters, Inc. - Registered owner: G.M. Leasing, L.L.C - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 21LA, Sunshine, LA - Destination: OCH, Nacogdoches, TX - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: minor; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 13,355 total, 1,900 in this make and model, 13,205 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: KLFT, 26 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 20051230033939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051230033939A), Dec 30, 2005: Bell 206L4, Washington, LA, Substantial damage. (-23) While in cruise flight at 600 feet and 120 mph indicated airspeed, a buzzard hit the pilot windshield, shattering it. The buzzard passed through the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 29, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=63037. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot-operator aircraft accident report NTSB form 61201 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 696 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=300836&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report%20NTSB%20Form%2061201-Rel.pdf - Photo 1 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 971 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=300838&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Master.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 731 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=300840&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo-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.