- Date
- November 14, 1983, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N908SBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 21083
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.
Loss of engine power
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
Forced landing
Autorotation - performed
Hard landing
Flare - improperCause
Analysis
The acft lost power during the takeoff climb. During the forced autorotation landing the tail was severed by the main rotor. The engine was still running at 70 percent N-1. No discrepancies were noted in the engine during post-accident examination and run-up. The plt did not file an accident report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N908S
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45486
- Airframe hours
- 1,311
- Engine
- Allison 250-C28B, 500 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Humble Products Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 7, 1983 · 13 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 2,400 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F