N9877Z

On May 4, 2005, approximately 1030 central daylight time, a single-engine Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N9877Z, was substantially damaged during a hard landing during a precautionary landing near Georgetown, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and five passengers were uninjured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Crystal Fingers Corporation of Georgetown, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the training flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local flight departed the Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU), near Georgetown, Texas, at 1415.

According to a written statement submitted by the 5,600-hour pilot, while in cruise flight at an estimated 500 feet AGL and while holding an airspeed of 90 knots, the helicopter experienced an "uncontrolled 40-degree yaw to the right, following a shutter and vibration in the fuselage and tail section." The pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing on a highway. During the landing flare, the helicopter landed hard with a slight running landing.

In a follow-up interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who inspected the helicopter, the pilot added that the helicopter bounced back into the air after the hard landing on the road, coming to rest on the edge of the road.

Post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the outter portions of each main rotor blade, the tail rotor drive, the bearing journals, tail rotor drive shaft fairing, vertical fin, and the tail boom assembly,

At 1455, the automated weather observing system at GTU, approximately 2 miles from the accident site, reported wind from 190 degrees at 4 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 4,800 feet, temperature 73 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 48 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of Mercury.