# NTSB MIA01TA194: Bell 206B-III, N313JP, Jacksonville, FL, July 25, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Final report - Date: July 25, 2001, 18:40 local (22:40 UTC) - Place: Jacksonville, FL - Coordinates: 30.220041, -81.750099 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2200&lon=-81.7501&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53367 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01TA194 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53367/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01TA194 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to recognize and correct for unanticipated right yaw/loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) during an approach to hover at a low altitude, which resulted in a loss of control and the helicopter descending and colliding with a house and the ground. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, descent - normal - tail rotor effectiveness - encountered, pilot in command - tail rotor effectiveness - not identified, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - descent - uncontrolled - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - residence - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated that he started a descent into the area heading east into the wind, and down to 300 feet. He said he made several passes, and on the last pass he made a left turn, and had started turning to the right when the aircraft developed a fast yaw to the right, indicative of imminent loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). The pilot said he immediately reduced collective and nosed the aircraft forward, and started losing altitude fast with no significant improvement in the yaw rate to the right. He said he pulled power to arrest the descent rate, and the yaw rate got faster, and he made a forced landing between two houses, pulling power at the bottom to arrest the descent rate. During the forced landing, the right skid touched down on the side of the roof, the aircraft then rolled left and came down to the ground. The pilot said that prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft, or to any of its systems. ## Factual narrative On July 25, 2001, about 1840 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B-III helicopter, N313JP, registered to, and operated by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 public-use flight, crashed in a residential area in Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and copilot received minor injuries, and the helicopter was destroyed. The flight had originated from Craig Municipal Airport, Jacksonville, Florida, the same day, about 1705. The pilot stated that he departed from Craig Airport on a routine law enforcement patrol, and responded to a call to look for a submerged car in a small lake. The pilot further stated that he started a descent into the area heading east into the wind, and down to 300 feet. He said he made several passes, and on the last pass he made a left turn, and had started turning to the right when the aircraft developed a fast yaw to the right, indicative of imminent loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). The pilot said he immediately reduced collective and nosed the aircraft forward, and started losing altitude fast with no significant improvement in the yaw rate to the right. He said he pulled power to arrest the descent rate, and the yaw rate got faster, and he made a forced landing between two houses, pulling power at the bottom to arrest the descent rate. During the forced landing, the right skid touched down on the side of the roof, the aircraft then rolled left and came down to the ground. The pilot said that prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft, or to any of its systems. FAA Advisory Circular 90-95 describes Unanticipated Right Yaw in Helicopters, or loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) as a critical, low-speed aerodynamic flight characteristic which can result in an uncommanded rapid yaw rate, which does not subside of its own accord, and if not corrected can result in a loss of aircraft control. AC 90-95 further describes LTE as a condition which is not related to a maintenance malfunction, but one which may occur in varying degrees in all single main rotor helicopters at airspeeds less than 30 knots. For further detail on LTE please refer to FAA Advisory Circular 90-95. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N313JP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N313JP-2003-03-11), registration cancelled 2003-03-11, S/N 4292, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B-III - Registry model: [Bell 206B-III](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b-iii) (registry code 1181506) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4292 - Airframe hours: 6913 - Engines: Allison 250C20J 317 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Public aircraft, Public use - Registered owner: Jacksonville Sheriff's Office - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 19, 2001, 25.2 hours before - Departed: CRG, Jacksonville, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 7, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 2,400 total, 255 in this make and model, 1,450 as pilot in command, 140 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; age 40; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 4, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 1,334 total, 1,265 in this make and model, 1,184 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: CRG, 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 20010725023509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010725023509A), Jul 25, 2001: Bell 206B3, Jacksonville, FL, Destroyed. (-23) On July 25, 2001, at approximately 1820 hours (local), Jacksonville sheriff's helicopter N313JP, piloted by hector jose rivera, was asked to perfrom an… 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.