# NTSB LAX96LA346: Bell 206B, N59576, Fillmore, CA, September 30, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 30, 1996, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Fillmore, CA - Coordinates: 34.399242, -118.829353 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3992&lon=-118.8294&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29570 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX96LA346 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29570/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA346 ## Probable cause the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delay in taking remedial action to stop the aircraft's lateral movement, which resulted in a dynamic rollover after touchdown. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Roll over, landing - flare/touchdown - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - autorotation - initiated, dual student - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - terrain condition - sand bar (contributing factor) - dynamic rollover - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor (CFI), he and the student pilot were on an instructional flight, and the student was performing hovering autorotations to a clear, moist, sandy area of a river bed. The CFI reported that the student began an autorotation from a 3-foot hover when, about 1 foot above the ground, the helicopter began to drift to the left. The CFI took the controls and applied right cyclic as the rotor rpm continued to decay. His control input did not stop the helicopter's accelerating leftward movement. As the left skid touched down on sandy terrain, the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover and rolled onto its left side. The wind at the accident site was estimated to be westerly at about 10 knots. ## Factual narrative On September 30, 1996, about 1300 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B, N59576 rolled over while practicing hovering autorotations near Fillmore, California. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; however, neither the instructor nor his student was injured. The aircraft was operated as an instructional flight by the owner/student when the accident occurred. The flight originated from Whiteman airport, Los Angeles, California, on the morning of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. The flight instructor stated he directed his student to perform a hovering autorotation with an entry from a 3-foot hover. As the aircraft descended to about 1 foot above the ground, it began to drift to the left. He took the controls and applied right cyclic as the rotor rpm continued to decay. His control input did not stop the helicopter's accelerating leftward movement. As the left skid touched down, the helicopter abruptly pivoted about the skid and rolled onto its left side. During the rollover, the main rotor blade(s) severed the tailboom. He reported to an FAA inspector that he estimated surface winds at the accident site to have been westerly at approximately 10 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N59576](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59576-2012-09-05), registration cancelled 2012-09-05, S/N 1473, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250 SER 400HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (registry code 03013, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1473 - Airframe hours: 28844 - Engines: Allison 250C20J 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard Delaney - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 20, 1996, 44 hours before - Departed: WHP, LOS ANGELES, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,810 total, 1,015 in this make and model, 2,600 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: VNY, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960930030659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960930030659A), Sep 30, 1996: Bell 206B, Fillmore, CA, Substantial damage. Practice autoroatation at 3FT AGL. Drifted. Rotor decay. CFI took over. Skid hit in drift. Rolled. Chop tailboom. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.