Bell 206B N152CA

Summary

On 25 September 2014 at about 15:25 local time, a Bell 206B registered N152CA, operated by Chem Air Inc, was involved in an accident near Nashoba, Oklahoma, United States. One person was 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

25 September 2014 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Nashoba, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

34.5319, -95.1639

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N152CA

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Chem Air Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nashoba → Nashoba

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14CA525

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of directional control due 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

After being refueled, the helicopter departed for an aerial application flight. As the helicopter lifted off, the pilot lost directional control of the helicopter and the nose of the helicopter turned right. The pilot confirmed that the throttle was open and after the helicopter turned 180 degrees, he reduced the engine's power to idle, maintained a level attitude, and touched down hard on uneven terrain. The tail rotor contacted a pile of debris resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor. There were no reported malfunctions or failures which contributed to the accident. The helicopter was estimated to be about 66 pounds over the helicopter's maximum gross weight. In addition, the accident occurred in rugged terrain which likely resulted in an unexpected wind shift during the takeoff. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the helicopter's loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.