# NTSB SEA06LA121: Bell 206L, N265SH, Vernal, UT, June 15, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 15, 2006, 17:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Vernal, UT - Coordinates: 39.486389, -109.157218 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4864&lon=-109.1572&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 6 minor - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63982 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA06LA121 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63982/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA121 ## Probable cause The loss of tail rotor effectiveness during an attempted precationary landing after a takeoff over uneven, sloping, brush-covered terrain. Factors include the pilot using the wrong performance chart while completing his preflight performance calculations, the uneven, sloping, brush-covered terrain, and a high density altitude. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - loss of tail rotor effectiveness - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) ## Analysis Prior to takeoff in conditions that resulted in a density altitude of over 10,000 feet, the pilot figured his takeoff/hover performance using the Hover Ceiling In Ground Effect chart, which indicated the helicopter could safely depart the landing zone (LZ). Because he was taking off over uneven, sloping, brush-covered terrain, he should have used the Hover Ceiling Out of Ground Effect chart, which indicated the helicopter did not have the performance to safely depart the LZ. After liftoff, the pilot started moving the aircraft forward, but it could not out-climb the up-sloping terrain, so he elected to make a precautionary landing on a nearby road. During the landing attempt, the helicopter's tail rotor lost its effectiveness, and the aircraft spun around once and descended into the terrain. ## Factual narrative On June 15, 2006, approximately 1715, mountain daylight time, a Bell 206L, N265SH, impacted the terrain during a precautionary landing almost immediately after taking off from a remote landing zone (LZ) about 60 miles southeast of Vernal, Utah. The commercial pilot and his five passengers received minor injuries, and the helicopter, which is owned and operated by Silver State Helicopters, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, sustained substantial damage. No flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR Part 135 passenger repositioning flight. The flight was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. According to the pilot, he had been using the same LZ for four or five days, and had been taking off into an upslope, because that allowed him to depart into a headwind. On the day of the accident, the wind was calm, but the pilot chose to takeoff in the same direction as he had on the previous days (into the upslope). The pilot lifted off into a hover, and then started moving forward toward the up-sloping terrain. In order to clear the brush growing on the up-sloping terrain, soon after starting to move forward, he increased power and applied a small amount of right anti-torque pedal in order to direct more lift to the main rotor blades. When he applied the right anti-torque pedal, the helicopter's heading rotated about 45 degrees to the right, but it did not climb any higher. Because he could see that he might not have the power to out-climb the up-sloping terrain, the pilot elected to try to put the helicopter down on a nearby road about 100 feet away. Just about the time he got to the road, the pilot heard a noise, and the helicopter spun rapidly to the right. Then the nose of the helicopter dropped, and the airframe impacted the terrain in a nose-down attitude, and then rolled onto its side. At the time of the accident, the helicopter was being operated at an altitude of 7,500 feet mean sea level (MSL) and an ambient temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (approximate density altitude of 10,200 feet). According to the pilot's calculations, the weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was 4,100 pounds, which is 50 pounds below its certified maximum gross internal operating weight. During the post-accident investigation, the FAA Inspector who interviewed the pilot and the operator, determined that for his pre-takeoff calculations, the pilot had used the "Hover Ceiling In Ground Effect" chart instead of the "Hover Ceiling Out of Ground Effect" chart, that he should have used. According to the FAA inspector, the "Hover Ceiling In Ground Effect" chart, which should only be used for calculating hover over level, flat terrain, without any significant growth of brush on it, indicated that the helicopter would have the performance to safely takeoff and depart the area. But his review of the "Hover Out of Ground Effect" chart, which should have been used for the takeoff over the uneven, brush-covered, sloping terrain, indicated that the the helicopter could not safely takeoff and depart the area. An inspection of the helicopter's engine, rotor drive, and flight control system by the FAA and the engine manufacturer (Rolls-Royce/Allison) did not find any anomaly that would have lead to the sequence of events that resulted in the aircraft impacting the terrain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N265SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N265SH-2012-11-27), registration cancelled 2012-11-27, S/N 51447 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206L - Registry model: [Bell 206L-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (registry code 1182108) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C30 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30-series) (registry code 03015, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 51447 - Airframe hours: 5227 - Engines: Lycoming 250-C30P 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Silver State Helicopters - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 2006 - Departed: Vernal, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2005; seat: front; flight hours: 1,607 total, 557 in this make and model, 1,537 as pilot in command, 134 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 75 °F ## 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 20060615010819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060615010819A), Jun 15, 2006: Bell 206L3, Vernal, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was operating out of a remote site at 7240 MSL with a density altitude of approx 9700 feet. There were five passengers on board and the aircraft… 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.