Bell AH-1F N197LE

Summary

On 1 March 2012 at about 19:20 local time, a Bell AH-1F registered N197LE was involved in an accident near Coolidge, Arizona, 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

1 March 2012 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Coolidge, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08)

Coordinates

32.9347, -111.4225

Aircraft

Bell AH-1F

Registration

N197LE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Coolidge → Coolidge

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA107

2 people had minor injuries.

A flight control malfunction while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.       

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 conducting flybys to film a segment for a documentary. During his last run, he initiated a 150- to 180-degree climbing right turn to about 200 ft above the ground. After the turn, he attempted to neutralize the flight controls in preparation for a normal approach to land, but he was unable to move them. The helicopter remained in the same turn rate with the same collective pitch and cyclic input until ground impact. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the flight control malfunction could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.