Bell 206B N59539
1 September 2005 · Myrtle Grove, Louisiana, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 1 September 2005 at about 16:00 local time, a Bell 206B registered N59539 was involved in an accident near Myrtle Grove, Louisiana, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 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 16:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Myrtle Grove, Louisiana, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.9844, -89.9936
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B
- Registration
- N59539
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Luling → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DFW05LA252
People
4 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control in flight for undetermined reasons.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The private pilot was flying three passengers for hire along the Mississippi River, to inspect and look for missing barges following Hurricane Katrina, when he experienced a loss of tail rotor control. At an altitude about 200 feet above ground level (agl), the helicopter took a sudden right turn and climbed approximately 100 feet before it started spinning in a clockwise direction and descended. The helicopter continued to spin until it impacted a barge and fell into the river about 300 feet from the riverbank. The pilot and passengers were able to egress the sinking helicopter and swam to shore unassisted. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and helicopter. Multiple attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) from the pilot were unsuccessful. As of January 23, 2006, the helicopter had not been located or recovered.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 206 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2005 | Bell 206L 1 | Cherokee, North Carolina, United States | Rock Alan Riggs | No injuries | - |
| 21 Feb 2005 | Bell 206-L1 | Gentry, Arkansas, United States | Air Evac Lifeteam | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Feb 2005 | Bell 206L-3 | Cameron, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 2005 | Bell 206B | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | Helitrans Co. Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 2005 | Bell 206L-4 | Washington, Louisiana, United States | Southern Helicopters, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Dec 2005 | Bell 206B | Coupar Angus, United Kingdom | Total Air Management Services | Fatal | 2 |
All 1,732 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 2005 | Spearman RAPTOR | Bogalusa, Louisiana, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Sep 2005 | Grumman G-164B | Epps, Louisiana, United States | Mike Jones Flying Service | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 2005 | Cessna 210L | Baker, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jun 2005 | Beechcraft 95-B55 | Jeanerette, Louisiana, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Grumman G-164B | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | O'Brien Flying Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 2005 | Bell 206L-1 | Moulton Cove, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |