Bell 206B III N43MA

Summary

On 4 April 2014 at about 21:48 local time, a Bell 206B III registered N43MA, operated by Minuteman Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Missoula, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

4 April 2014 at 21:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Missoula, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Missoula International (KMSO)

Coordinates

46.9164, -114.0906

Aircraft

Bell 206B III

Registration

N43MA

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1991

Engines

1

Operator

Minuteman Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Missoula → Missoula

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA159

2 people had minor injuries.

A dynamic rollover during attempted liftoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The fixed base and helicopter operator was conducting an evaluation of a prospective pilot-employee for the company. The prospective employee had obtained most of her flight experience in a helicopter model that was different from the single-rotor helicopter being used for the evaluation. On the day of the accident, after a brief flight with another company pilot, the prospective employee landed the helicopter and remained in the right seat, while the other pilot exited, and the company chief pilot took the left seat. The prospective employee then flew the helicopter to another location. The approach and landing were into the wind, on a heading variously reported as either west or parallel to runway 29; she landed uneventfully on a dry, level, dirt and grass field adjacent to the airport. After a brief discussion in which it was agreed that the chief pilot would demonstrate the next maneuver, the chief pilot attempted to lift off. According to the chief pilot, the right skid felt like it was "stuck" to the ground. Despite his efforts to correct the situation, he was unable to successfully set the helicopter fully back down. The helicopter rolled over onto its right side and sustained substantial damage. Immediately after they exited the helicopter, the two pilots attempted to determine what had caused the right skid to become stuck to the ground, but their efforts were curtailed by a fuel leak and small fire. The chief pilot did not report any prerollover mechanical deficiencies or failures of the helicopter, and a postaccident examination of the helicopter by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors did not detect any such deficiencies or failures. Single-rotor helicopters are susceptible to a lateral rolling tendency, called dynamic rollover, when lifting off, and the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook noted that two "critical conditions" for dynamic rollover were "right side skid down" and "crosswinds from the left." Detailed evaluation of the wind data from two different nearby sensors revealed that the wind direction was between about 265 and 290 degrees, at 10 to 22 knots. Neither the wind direction at the accident site nor the exact heading of the helicopter were measured, so the crosswind component could not be accurately determined. However, given the lack of any other evidence supporting the event, it is likely that the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover due to a left crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.