Bell 206-B3 N3982M

Summary

On 22 August 1983 at about 18:30 local time, a Bell 206-B3 registered N3982M, operated by Shanair Inc, was involved in an accident near Avenal, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

22 August 1983 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Avenal, California, United States

Coordinates

35.8900, -120.0692

Aircraft

Bell 206-B3

Registration

N3982M

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Shanair Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Avenal → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83LA403

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT WAS DEMONSTRATING AUTOROTATIVE LANDINGS IN A HELICOPTER EQUIPPED WITH HIGH SKID LANDING GEAR. DURING HIS 4TH AUTOROTATION, HE MADE A STRAIGHT-IN APCH & TOUCHED DOWN ON LEVEL, SMOOTH TERRAIN. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS STOPPING, THE HIGH SKID ROTATED REARWARD & THE HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE DOWN & SLAPPED THE GROUND WITH SUFFICIENT FORCED TO ACTIVATE THE ELT. AS THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN, THE TAIL BOOM ROSE & STRUCK 1 MAIN ROTOR BLADE. THE PLT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD TOUCHED DOWN SMOOTHLY IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE HIGH SKID NEEDED TO BE STRENGTHENED. THE CROSS TUBE ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT DIRECTLY BOLTED AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT. INSTEAD, THEY CONTAINED NIPPLES WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO RESIST ROTATION WHEN PROPERLY SECURED TO THE FUSELAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.