N1811

Substantial
Minor

Bell 206L-4S/N: 52300

Accident Details

Date
Friday, December 30, 2005
NTSB Number
DFW06CA048
Location
Washington, LA
Event ID
20060215X00202
Coordinates
30.605833, -91.991943
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The in-flight collision with a bird and the pilot's physical impairment (vision), directional control was not possible.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N1811
Make
BELL
Serial Number
52300
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1941
Model / ICAO
206L-4B06T
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
2

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY US CUSTOMS SERVICE
Address
HEADQUARTERS PATROL DIVISION OHA
1301 CONSTITUTION AVENUE NW
Status
Deregistered
City
WASHINGTON
State / Zip Code
DC 20229
Country
United States

Analysis

The 13,355-hour air transport pilot was in cruise flight at approximately 500 feet mean sea level (MSL) at approximately 120 miles per hour. The pilot looked down to scan the helicopter's instruments. As he began to look up, a large buzzard collided with the right windscreen and struck the pilot's face. The impact with the buzzard and the wind coming through the broken windscreen caused the pilot to become temporarily blinded. The pilot reported that he felt the helicopter pitch-up, and as he attempted to regain control of the turbine powered helicopter, blood began to hinder his vision. The pilot elected to execute a running landing into a bean field in his flight path. During the descent, the pilot was forced to use both hands and was unable to clear his vision. The pilot lost sight of the ground and the helicopter impacted on the aft portion of the left landing skid, rolled over and came to rest on its left side in a soybean field. The pilot reported having accumulated approximately 1,900-hours in the same make and model, with about 120 hours in the preceding 90 days.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW06CA048