- Date
- June 3, 2023, 10:34 local (16:34 UTC)
- Place
- Filer, ID · private airstrip
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N205PABell 206B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230603006099A
- Case key
- 192309
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 improper anti-torque pedal inputs during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control during takeoff and subsequent dynamic rollover.
Findings · 3
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 initially reported that while he was taking off, the tail dropped and hit the ground. After a postaccident review of a security video that captured the accident, the pilot along with his flight instructor concluded that he input excessive left anti-torque pedal as he increased collective. A National Transportation Safety Board review of the same security video showed the helicopter as it rotated counterclockwise about its vertical axis. The fuselage pivoted about the right skid and the helicopter exceeded its critical roll angle, which resulted in dynamic rollover. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N205PA
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1996
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 12,519.7
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2023 · 2.4 hours before
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 30, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 304 total · 167 in this make and model · 304 as pilot in command · 2.1 in the last 90 days · 2.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- KJER, 8 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KJER 031553Z AUTO 23005KT 10SM CLR 16/08 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP163 T01610083
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.