- Date
- November 10, 2001, 15:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Erath, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N517RBell 407
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 29, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20011110034549A
- Case key
- 53834
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 inadvertant application of full right pedal which resulted in the baggage compartment door to open in-flight and a tie down rope to become entangled in the tail rotor drive system, and the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft resulting in the loss of anti-torque control.
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
The pilot inadvertently applied full right pedal while the helicopter was in cruise flight, resulting in a left yaw, the baggage compartment door became open, and the main rotor tie down rope exited the helicopter. The departing rope became entangled in the tail rotor system. Subsequently, the pilot lost anti-torque authority and performed an autorotative landing to an open field.
Factual narrative
On November 10, 2001, approximately 1515 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N517R, registered to and operated by Industrial Helicopters Inc., of Lafayette, Louisiana, was substantially damaged while in cruise flight in the vicinity of Erath, Louisiana. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The flight originated at 1500 from an offshore platform, South Marsh 253.
According to the pilot, he inadvertently applied full right pedal while the helicopter was in cruise flight, resulting in a left yaw. The baggage compartment door opened and the main rotor tie down rope to exited the helicopter. The departing rope became entangled in the tail rotor system. Subsequently, the pilot lost anti-torque authority and performed an autorotative landing to an open field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N517R
- Reported as
- Bell 407
- Category
- Helicopter
- Airframe hours
- 2,318
- Engine
- Allison 250-C47B, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Industrial Helicopters Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 28, 2001 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · South Marsh 253, GM
- Destination
- IIF · Scott, LA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,732 total · 26 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- LFT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.