ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 356862
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| Date: | Tuesday 13 August 1996 |
| Time: | 13:40 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 206B |
| Owner/operator: | Maine Helicopters |
| Registration: | N9913K |
| MSN: | 2055 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1976 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7943 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Starks, ME -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Rangeley, ME (8B0) |
| Pittsfield, ME (2B7) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was conducting a powerline patrol, and at the request of the observer(s), he maneuvered the helicopter so they could take another look at a tower. According to the pilot, he was flying west, and the wind was from the west to northwest at 10 knots with gusts from 15 to 20 knots. He inadvertently slowed to 20 knots. As the pilot applied power and left pedal, the helicopter started a right rotation. He was unable to recover directional control, and was forced to autorotate into unsuitable terrain. The tail rotor struck a tree during descent. During the landing, the skids were driven into the fuselage. According to a chart in the flight manual, the critical wind azimuth area was from 050 degrees to 210 degrees.
Probable Cause: the pilot's improper decision to operate at slow airspeed, and close to the critical relative wind azimuth area in gusty, variable winds, which resulted in an inadvertent loss of tail rotor effectiveness. The gusty crosswind and lack of a suitable terrain for a landing were related factors.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC96LA167
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 21 July 2023 | N9913K | Maine Helicopters Inc | 0 | Terra Alta, near Camp Dawson, WV | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Mar-2024 11:41 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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