- Date
- December 11, 1991, 21:45 local (Dec 12, 1991, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Charlotte, NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N206CMBell 206L-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911211055659A
- Case key
- 33041
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 in commands failure to maintain tailrotor ground clearance while hovering resulting in the tail striking the ground and the subsequent separation of the tailrotor and gearbox.
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
Plt failed to maintain tail boom stinger ground clearance while hovering to land. During an aft movement the stinger contacted the ground. Tailrotor and gearbox separated and plt lost directional control. A hard landing was made. Post crash examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N206CM
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51006
- Airframe hours
- 4,250
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 435 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Omni Flight Helicopters Inc.
- Registered owner
- Textron Financial Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- CLT · Douglas Municipal
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLT, 1 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.