Bell 206-L4 N1813

Summary

On 22 August 2007 at about 17:26 local time, a Bell 206-L4 registered N1813, operated by Air MD LLC, was involved in an accident near Mullinville, Kansas, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 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.

Date

22 August 2007 at 17:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Mullinville, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

37.5889, -99.4606

Aircraft

Bell 206-L4

Registration

N1813

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Air MD LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dodge City → Mullinville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN07LA142

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor rpm resulting in an uncontrolled descent, collision with transmission wires, and a hard landing. A contributing factor was the tranmission wires.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that as he was circling the landing zone, the helicopter felt like it was being "pushed to the northeast and began to shutter." Just as a semi truck passed beneath the helicopter, the pilot stated that the helicopter "went limp" and subsequently the low rotor rpm warning horn activated. The pilot leveled the helicopter from a slight bank and lowered the collective, which silenced the low rotor warning, but the pilot stated that the helicopter "still felt real sluggish." After maneuvering the helicopter away from ground personnel, the helicopter lost power again and the low rotor rpm warning activated a second time. The pilot stated that he set up the helicopter in an autorotative profile and remembers flaring just prior to the initial impact. The pilot stated that he did not lose tail rotor effectiveness. Medical personnel onboard the helicopter stated that during the descent, they noticed power lines and thought that "at out current angle of descent we were going to catch the wires." Several witnesses on the ground stated that as the helicopter passed over the semi truck, it lost control and contacted power lines before impacting the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed wire damage to the main rotor and tail boom, as well as substantial damage to the fuselage. Further examination of the helicopter disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly. Weather in the area was reported by local authorities as strong gusty winds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.