Bell 206B N83146

Summary

On 5 December 1997 at about 15:20 local time, a Bell 206B registered N83146 was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, 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

5 December 1997 at 15:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Campbell Airstrip (CSR)

Coordinates

61.1592, -149.9907

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N83146

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC98TA011

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM during an autorotation landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two commercial pilots were practicing touchdown autorotation landings at a private snow covered airstrip. The purpose of the flight was for both pilots to maintain their proficiency. The first pilot had performed several straight-in touchdown autorotations. During the last autorotation, the first pilot entered the autorotation at 800 feet above the ground and about 80 knots. During the descent, the pilot maintained a 65 knot airspeed, and began a deceleration flare about 50 to 60 feet above the ground. As the ground speed dissipated, the pilot leveled the helicopter, applied main rotor collective pitch, and touched down with about a 30 foot ground run. As the helicopter slowed to a stop, the pilot indicated the helicopter shuddered several times. The main rotor blades struck the tail boom, severing the horizontal and vertical stabilizer, and the tail rotor assembly, from the tail boom.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.