Bell 206-L4 N720RL

Summary

On 6 June 2013 at about 16:15 local time, a Bell 206-L4 registered N720RL, operated by T&M Aviation, was involved in an accident near Abbeville, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 June 2013 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Abbeville, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

29.9693, -92.1208

Aircraft

Bell 206-L4

Registration

N720RL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

T&M Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abbeville → Abbeville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA321

Nobody was injured.

Failure of maintenance personnel to ensure adequate torque of a tailrotor drive shaft coupling bolt, which resulted in the partial disconnection of the drive shaft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was on its first flight after extensive maintenance. As the pilot approached a canal at an altitude of about 20 feet, he heard a noise and then a loud "pop." The helicopter then started to spin to the right and the pilot was unable to stop the spin. After about two revolutions, the pilot reduced engine power to idle, and the helicopter collided with terrain and water. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the connection between the tail rotor drive shaft and the tail rotor gear box was partially separated. Of the two bolts that connected the drive shaft to the coupling on the gear box, one remained secured by its associated nut; however, the other bolt had backed out of the drive shaft, but remained in the coupling, and its corresponding nut was missing. The helicopter had accrued about 0.7 flight hours since its most recent maintenance, which included removing and reinstalling the tail rotor gear box. It is likely that the maintenance personnel did not ensure adequate torque of a tailrotor drive shaft coupling bolt, which allowed it to be back out of the drive shaft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.