Bell 206B N2068X

Summary

On 26 April 2012 at about 21:45 local time, a Bell 206B registered N2068X, operated by Chesapeake Bay Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Amarillo, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

26 April 2012 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Amarillo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Rick Husband Amarillo Intl (AMA)

Coordinates

35.2181, -101.7036

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N2068X

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Chesapeake Bay Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dumas → Amarillo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA258

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during landing in gusty wind conditions associated with a thunderstorm, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was aware of lightning and a thunderstorm that was close to the airport and approaching from the southwest. He was flying an approach to the southeast and planned to approach “straight in” to the hangar. As he began to flare to stop the descent, movement of the cyclic stick was briefly hindered by a laptop computer in the left seat passenger’s lap; the passenger immediately moved the obstructing laptop computer. The helicopter was then about level with the hangar roof when, according to the pilot, a strong gust of wind forced the helicopter’s nose up, and the helicopter briefly entered into a climbing right turn. The helicopter then began a sudden uncommanded turn, spinning to the right. The pilot reported that left pedal input had no effect and that he had only partial control as the helicopter made a full 360-degree turn, descended, and impacted the ground. During the impact with the ground, the lower fuselage sustained crushing damage, and the main rotor separated from the main rotor mast. A significant amount of fuel spilled during the impact, but no postimpact fire occurred. After the crash, both occupants were able to extract themselves from the wreckage unassisted. According to a weather observation station at the airport, the wind was from 120 degrees at 19 knots, gusting to 25 knots, and a thunderstorm was recorded on the field. Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 90-95, “Unanticipated Right Yaw in Helicopters,” describes loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) as a critical, low speed aerodynamic flight characteristic that could result in an uncommanded rapid yaw rate that does not subside of its own accord and, if not corrected, could result in the loss of aircraft control. The pilot was operating the helicopter in a low airspeed, out-of-ground-effect, high-power-demand flight condition, which could have resulted in LTE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.