Bell 212 N49678

Summary

On 21 June 2011 at about 13:34 local time, a Bell 212 registered N49678, operated by Boeing Co, was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 2011 at 13:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.5208, -111.7636

Aircraft

Bell 212

Registration

N49678

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Boeing Co

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesa → Mesa

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11LA277

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control while in a low hover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after he established the helicopter in a stabilized hover about 3 feet above the ground with the crew chief following on the controls with him, the helicopter rapidly rolled right. The pilot was unable to correct the roll, and the helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest on its right side. The helicopter's fuselage sustained substantial damage, and the cockpit area was consumed by postimpact fire. Ground scars about 20 feet behind the main wreckage revealed that the tail section contacted the ground first. The pilot reported and a postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.