Bell 206 N26BB

Summary

On 15 May 2019 at about 18:26 local time, a Bell 206 registered N26BB was involved in an accident near New York, New York, United States. One person was 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

15 May 2019 at 18:26

Classification

Accident

Location

New York, New York, United States

Nearest airport

West 30th St Heliport (KJRA)

Coordinates

40.7544, -74.0069

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N26BB

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New York → New York

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19LA171

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to compensate for adverse wind on final approach, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and aircraft control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was attempting to reposition the helicopter to a helipad after refueling at a riverfront heliport. On his first approach to the helipad in a gusting, quartering tailwind, the pilot felt the onset of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) and aborted the approach and went around. He climbed the helicopter over the water, turned back toward the helipad, and again felt the onset of LTE. The nose of the helicopter began a yaw to the right, and application of full left pedal failed to arrest the yaw. The helicopter then entered an uncontrolled right spin around its mast and descended to water contact, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.