- Date
- November 11, 2006, 09:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Boulder City, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N59571Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- WP-FSDO Las Vegas, NV
- FAA report
- 20061111025029A
- Case key
- 64865
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 planning and decision in his failure to reduce the engine throttle to ground idle prior to exiting the helicopter.
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 helicopter rolled over after the pilot exited with the engine running and rotors turning to disconnect and move the auxiliary power unit (APU) to a secure location. The pilot left the helicopter running at 100 percent because he was charging the battery. The pilot's back was to the helicopter when he heard the engine sound change. He turned around, and saw the front skids lift off the ground. The helicopter started to move in a backwards direction, and rolled over and went down an embankment.
Factual narrative
On November 11, 2006, about 0915 Pacific standard time, a Bell Helicopter 206B, N59571, rolled over at a privately owned heliport at Hacienda Hotel, Boulder City, Nevada. Rogers Helicopters, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence and also struck and damaged several parked vehicles. The helicopter was being readied for a local area tour flight that was to depart from the privately owned heliport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were 36 degrees 00.37 minutes north latitude and 114 degrees 46.54 minutes west longitude.
In the pilot's written statement, he reported that it was part of his normal routine to start the helicopter and move it to one of the passenger loading pads. He started the helicopter, did the run up, and completed the before flight checks.
After a few minutes, he increased the engine and rotor rpm's (revolutions per minute) to 100 percent, and checked the generator load. He left the helicopter at 100 percent to charge the battery. The pilot exited the helicopter with the engine running and the rotors turning to disconnect the auxiliary power unit (APU), and to move the APU away from the helicopter. While moving the APU, the pilot heard the engine sound change, turned around, and saw the front skids lifting off the ground. The helicopter started to back up; it ultimately rolled over and down an embankment.
No passengers or personnel were on board the helicopter during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59571
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1455
- Airframe hours
- 10,727.5
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rogers Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2006 · 22.3 hours before
- Departed
- Boulder City, NV
- Destination
- Boulder City, NV
- Airport
- NONE · Hacienda Hotel Heliport
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
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Flight hours
- 14,220 total · 5,100 in this make and model · 13,702 as pilot in command · 141 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- HND, 20 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.