- Date
- March 10, 1994, 10:52 local (16:52 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Charles, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N57340Bell 206BIII
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940310004559A
- Case key
- 19007
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 failure of the pilot to adequately perform a preflight. A factor was the soft terrain.
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
During takeoff, the left skid came off of the ground and the aircraft began to roll to the right. The pilot reported that the landing zone was 'soggy' and that the right skid 'cut into the sod fairly well...bringing about the rapid roll rate to the right' when the right heal did not come out of the sod.
Factual narrative
On March 10, 1994 at 1052 central standard time, a Bell 206B, N57340, was substantially damaged during takeoff near Lake Charles, Louisiana. The airline transport rated pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR 133 flight.
In the Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated that, upon taking off, the left skid came off of the ground and the aircraft began to roll to the right. Subsequently, the main rotor blade contacted the ground resulting in the main rotor head separating. The aircraft came to rest on its right side.
The pilot also stated that the grass in the "landing zone was fairly soggy." He reported that the right skid "had cut the surface of the sod and was actually sunken fairly well." Additionally, he stated that the "right heal did not come cleanly out of this cut...bringing about the rapid roll rate to the right."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57340
- Reported as
- Bell 206BIII
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2998
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 133
- Registered owner
- Evergreen Equity, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,203 total · 4,611 in this make and model · 8,926 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.