N39049

On September 28, 1993, at approximately 1800 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206B, N39049, was substantially damaged when a parachute was ingested through the main rotor and tail rotor systems at a remote site on White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The aircraft, flown by a commercial pilot, was on a local public use flight. Company flight following was being used and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither the pilot, nor the two passengers were injured.

The aircraft was operating out of Condron Army Air Field and the purpose of the mission was to locate and retrieve an expended missile. The pilot stated that when they spotted the missile he landed about 25 feet from it, on the downwind side. He further stated that shortly after he reduced throttle to flight idle, the descent parachute, which had been draped over the missile, inflated, blew toward the aircraft, and was ingested into the rotor systems.