Bell 206 N93PH

Summary

On 7 November 2017 at about 15:30 local time, a Bell 206 registered N93PH, operated by Provine Helicopter Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi, United States. One person was on board and one 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

7 November 2017 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Rolling Fork, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

32.9004, -90.8705

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N93PH

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1972

Operator

Provine Helicopter Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rolling Fork → Rolling Fork

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA029

1 person had minor injuries.

An uncommanded yaw and subsequent loss of main rotor rpm for reasons that could not be determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an aerial application flight. He reported that he was almost finished spraying a river when he suddenly felt the helicopter yaw right then left. Subsequently, he raised the helicopter’s nose up and right to clear a line of trees that ran parallel to the river. When the helicopter reached the height of the treetops, the pilot realized that the airspeed was slow, so he held the collective down to start an autorotation. He then pulled full collective just as the skid impacted the ground hard. The helicopter then came to rest on its right side. Examination of the helicopter revealed that flight control continuity was established. The tailboom was found fracture separated, consistent with main rotor blade contact. Both main rotor blades exhibited impact damage and warping due to slight spanwise deflection opposite direction of rotation but with low inertia. The 1st-stage compressor inlet and blades exhibited damage consistent with foreign object ingestion. Foreign object damage was also noted in the compressor, and the case was pierced in several areas. Black, sludge-like material that contained aluminum debris was found throughout the gas path from the compressor to the combustor and turbine inlet, and it was mostly along the inner surface of the outer combustion case, consistent with splatter during N1 rotation. The ingestion of material throughout the engine and foreign object damage to the compressor is consistent with engine operation during the impact sequence. The reason for the uncommanded yaw could not be determined based on the available information because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine and fuel system revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.