- Date
- June 8, 2008, 17:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Philadelphia, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N94PDBell 206L-4
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA\FSDO
- Case key
- 68196
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 failure to maintain aircraft control during hover, which resulted in an inadvertent impact with the ground.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the Bell 206L-4 helicopter had completed a simulated engine failure, and was bringing the helicopter to a hover over a grass area, when it impacted the ground from an altitude of approximately 5 feet. The helicopter's tail boom, aft of its attach point was wrinkled, and the tail boom sagged. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter. He reported 2,029 hours of total flight experience, which included 1,929 hours in rotorcraft, all in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were variable at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Bell 206L-4 helicopter had completed a simulated engine failure, and was bringing the helicopter to a hover over a grass area, when it impacted the ground from an altitude of approximately 5 feet. The helicopter's tail boom, aft of its attach point was wrinkled, and the tail boom sagged. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter. He reported 2,029 hours of total flight experience, which included 1,929 hours in rotorcraft, all in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were variable at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94PD
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-4
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 52205
- Airframe hours
- 6,380
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Philadelphia Police Department
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 1, 2008
- Departed
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Destination
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Airport
- PNE · Northeast Philadelphia
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,029 total · 1,929 in this make and model · 108 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,022 total · 4,822 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- PNE