Bell 206B N2280N

Summary

On 22 September 1995 at about 11:50 local time, a Bell 206B registered N2280N, operated by U. S. Dept. of the Interior, was involved in an accident near Culebra. 4 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 1995 at 11:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Culebra

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N2280N

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

U. S. Dept. of the Interior

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Juan → St. Johns

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA95TA230

3 people were seriously injured.

the failure of company maintenance personnel to insure the tail rotor gearbox attach bolts were properly torqued.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight at 800 feet the pilot felt a high frequency shutter and growl. The shutter increased and the helicopter yawed to the right. An autorotation was performed, and upon landing on the water the main rotor blades severed the tailboom and helicopter rolled to the right and partially sank. Postcrash examination of the helicopter showed the tail rotor gear box and tail rotor had separated and were not recovered. Damage indicated the tail rotor gearbox had been loose from its mounting for some time. Maintenance records showed the tail rotor gearbox input seal was changed 110 flight hours before the accident, and at a 100-hour inspection, 14 flight hours before the accident, a mechanic certified that the tail rotor gearbox attach bolts were checked for proper torque. Bell Helicopter operating procedures require the tail rotor and tail rotor gearbox be checked during the pilot's preflight inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.