# NTSB MIA98LA148: Bell 206L-1, N60WJ, Orlando, FL, April 25, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 25, 1998, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Orlando, FL
- Coordinates: 28.560802, -81.350532 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.5608&lon=-81.3505&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 31, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38512
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA148
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38512/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA148

## Probable cause

failure of the flight crew to maintain main rotor RPM during a landing touchdown, which resulted in the main rotor blades contacting the tailboom.

## Analysis

The flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot flew for 1 hour 35 minutes in the airport area. During the flight, they performed training maneuvers, touchdown autorotations, hovering autorotations, and simulated tail rotor malfunctions. After returning to the ramp after the flight, company maintenance personnel found damage consistent with the main rotor blades contacting the tailboom. The CFI and student stated they did not know when the damage occurred and that they did not feel any vibration to suggest damage during the flight.

## Factual narrative

On April 25, 1998, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206L-1, N60WJ, registered to Universal Air Service of Florida, Inc., was found to have damage from main rotor contact with the tail boom at Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando, Florida, following a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage and the commercial-rated flight instructor and private-rated dual student were not injured. The flight originated from Orlando, Florida, the same day, about 1355.

The instructor and dual student stated the flight was conducted as an instructional flight as part of a Bell Helicopter school. They departed Orlando Executive Airport about 1355, and stayed on the airport for the entire flight. During the first part of the flight, they performed touchdown autorotations. After completing the flight at about 1530, they were completing paperwork when maintenance personnel informed them about damage to the tailboom of the helicopter from a main rotor strike. They stated that at no time during the flight did they feel the main rotor contact the tailboom, and they did not feel any unusual vibrations during the flight.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, landing
  - rotor rpm - not maintained, flightcrew (cause)
  - misc rotorcraft,main rotor/tail boom contact

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N60WJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60WJ-2016-08-30), registration cancelled 2016-08-30, S/N 45644, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Bell 206L-1
- Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (registry code 1182107) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison 250 SER 250HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (registry code 03002, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 45276
- Airframe hours: 7160
- Engines: Allison 250-C28 435 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Universal Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, April 21, 1998, 11 hours before
- Airport: ORL, Orlando Executive, runway 31, 4,638 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,970 total, 14,950 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ORL, 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19980425007729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980425007729A), Apr 25, 1998: Bell 206L1, Orlando, FL, Substantial damage. After dual session found tail rotor damage from main rotor strike.

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.

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