- Date
- April 16, 2016, 13:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Baltimore, MD
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N326ACBell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160416003039A
- Case key
- 93019
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 inadequate compensation for the wind while hovering out of ground effect, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter began the power line aerial observation flight near its maximum gross weight. As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter into an out-of-ground-effect hover with a 12-knot left crosswind, a nose-right yaw ensued that could not be corrected with a full left pedal application. Despite other remedial actions taken by the pilot, the helicopter descended to ground contact where the occupants egressed, but the helicopter was later destroyed by post-crash fire. The pilot stated there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. He said, "It was an aerodynamic issue, not a mechanical issue." FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-95, Unanticipated Right Yaw in Helicopters stated, "Any maneuver which requires the pilot to operate in a high-power, low-airspeed environment with a left crosswind or tailwind creates an environment where unanticipated right yaw may occur."
Factual narrative
The helicopter began the power line aerial observation flight near its maximum gross weight. As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter into an out-of-ground-effect hover with a 12-knot left crosswind, a nose-right yaw ensued that could not be corrected with a full left pedal application. Despite other remedial actions taken by the pilot, the helicopter descended to ground contact where the occupants egressed, but the helicopter was later destroyed by post-crash fire. The pilot stated there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. He said, "It was an aerodynamic issue, not a mechanical issue."FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-95, Unanticipated Right Yaw in Helicopters stated, "Any maneuver which requires the pilot to operate in a high-power, low-airspeed environment with a left crosswind or tailwind creates an environment where unanticipated right yaw may occur."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N326AC
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1935
- Built
- 1976
- Engine
- Allison 250 SER 400HP, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky River Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Clear View Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MTN · Baltimore, MD
- Destination
- MTN · Baltimore, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BWI · Baltimore Washington Internati
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,800 total · 40 in this make and model · 70 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- BWI, 1 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.