Bell 206-L3 N111JA

Summary

On 22 July 1995 at about 23:37 local time, a Bell 206-L3 registered N111JA was involved in an accident near Borger, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 1995 at 23:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Borger, Texas, United States

Coordinates

35.6492, -101.3995

Aircraft

Bell 206-L3

Registration

N111JA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Amarillo → Unk/Nr

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA308

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO AN ENCOUNTER WITH A DUST DEVIL/WHIRLWIND AND THE TURBULENCE AND HIGH WIND ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE NOTICED THUNDERSTORMS 'DEVELOPING RAPIDLY' TO THE LEFT OF HIS FLIGHT PATH; HOWEVER, 'THEY APPEARED TO BE AT A SAFE DISTANCE.' HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT, HE NOTICED DUST PICKING UP ON THE GROUND, ALONG WITH SOME DEBRIS, ABOUT 1/2 MILE AHEAD, AND TO THE LEFT OF HIS FLIGHT PATH. AFTER INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT, AWAY FROM THE STORM AREA, HE 'COULD NOT CONTROL THE HELICOPTER', AND DOES NOT RECALL THE ENSUING GROUND IMPACT. DOPPLER RADAR IMAGES, FOR THE TIME AND AREA OF THE ACCIDENT, SHOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPING WEATHER ECHOES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ALSO, BASE VELOCITY DATA, AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, SHOW A SIGNIFICANT THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LOCATED JUST NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. SEVERAL WITNESSES, IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, REPORTED HIGH WINDS AND TURBULENT CONDITIONS. ALL STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, TAIL AND MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEMS, ENGINE COMPONENTS, AND FLIGHT CONTROLS, THAT WERE NOT DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND POSTIMPACT FIRE, DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF FAILURE PRIOR TO IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.