Bell 206B N2183P

Summary

On 29 November 1994 at about 20:32 local time, a Bell 206B registered N2183P was involved in an accident near Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 November 1994 at 20:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

31.7508, -93.0897

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N2183P

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA056

Nobody was injured.

THE DELAYED FLARE AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES BY THE OPERATOR AND THE PILOT, DELAYED MAINTENANCE, AND, AN ENGINE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY STALL, COMBINED WITH EROSION AND CORROSION OF THE STATOR VANES WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO MECHANICAL REASONS. THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD EXPERIENCED A SERIES OF COMPRESSOR STALLS DURING THE LAST 132 HOURS OF FLIGHT. COMPANY MANAGEMENT ELECTED TO DEFER REQUIRED MAINTENANCE UNTIL THEIR 'BUSY SEASON WAS OVER.' THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT INTERGRANULAR CORROSION AND EROSION OF THE STATOR VANES COMBINED TO EFFECTIVELY WEAKEN THE INDIVIDUAL VANES STRUCTURALLY. A COMPRESSOR STALL WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION AND DURING TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.