Bell 206-L4 N6197N

Summary

On 26 April 1995 at about 02:50 local time, a Bell 206-L4 registered N6197N was involved in an accident near Thermal, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 April 1995 at 02:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Thermal, California, United States

Nearest airport

Thermal (TRM)

Coordinates

33.4808, -116.1001

Aircraft

Bell 206-L4

Registration

N6197N

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95TA171

Nobody was injured.

The CFI's failure to follow the flight manual procedures by using full up collective during an autorotation landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING A HOVERING AUTOROTATION TO TOUCHDOWN. THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH FULL SKID SHOES, AND A QUARTERING HEADWIND OF 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS, EXISTED. THE CFI APPLIED FULL UP COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH, BUT THE HELICOPTER CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. WHEN THE CFI RETURNED TO THE PAD, HE NOTICED THAT THE TAILBOOM SKIN WAS WRINKLED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD ADDRESSED THE TAILBOOM WRINKLING IN AN OPERATIONAL SAFETY NOTICE (OSN) WHICH WAS INCORPORATED IN THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT MANUAL. THE OSN STATES THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES RPM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 70 PERCENT, AND THAT THE COLLECTIVE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED ON TOUCHDOWN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.