Bell 206B N717NH
12 May 2002 · Rosenberg, Texas, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 May 2002 at about 00:00 local time, a Bell 206B registered N717NH was involved in an accident near Rosenberg, Texas, United States. 5 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Rosenberg, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.5244, -95.7753
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B
- Registration
- N717NH
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Rosenberg → Houston
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW02LA143
People
4 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter flight departed a residential gathering for the cross-country flight. The 11,000-hour pilot reported that after a south departure following a "normal takeoff" into the prevailing wind, he initiated a left turn at approximately 300 feet indicated altitude and felt "vibrations" and the next thing he remembered, "he was on the ground." The pilot did not claim any mechanical malfunction on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. Examination of the fuselage revealed physical evidence consistent with downward compression and crushing with deformation left of the fuselage centerline. The left horizontal stabilizer exhibited physical evidence of ground impact, while the right horizontal stabilizer was not damaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The inspection of the engine and engine components did not revealed any evidence of pre-impact failure. Examination of the main fuel control and the power turbine governor revealed no anomalies that would result in a loss of power, flame-out, or sudden overspeed condition. Maintenance records did not reveal any overdue inspections or anomalies that could have precluded operation of the helicopter prior to the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 206 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 2002 | Bell 206L-1 | North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Silver State Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 15 Nov 2002 | Bell 206B | Kingman, Arizona, United States | John McCoy | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Mar 2002 | Bell 206L-4 | Eugene Isld 188, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Mar 2002 | Bell 206 B III | Anaco, Venezuela | Aerotecnica S.A. | Fatal | - |
| 25 Jul 2002 | Bell 206B | Prince George, Canada | Croman Corporation | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 2002 | Bell 206L-3 | Oakley, Utah, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,732 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2002 | Boeing A75SN1 | Georgetown, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 2002 | Cessna 188A | Vincent, Texas, United States | Elk Creek Spraying Service | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 2002 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | El Paso, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 2002 | Bellanca 17-30 | Plainview, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 2002 | Cessna 340A | Temple, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 18 Jan 2002 | Beechcraft C23 | Sinton, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |