Summary
On July 24, 2010, a Bell 206 B II (N788BD) was involved in an incident near Big Bear City, CA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing approach.
The pilot was approaching the airport for landing about 350 feet above ground level when a fixed wing airplane taxied in front of his intended landing spot, and stopped. He slowed the helicopter to avoid blowing the airplane, and subsequently the helicopter lost tail rotor effectiveness. The helicopter then rapidly descended to the ground and came to rest in a drainage depression. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom during the accident sequence, and the pilot was not injured. The airport elevation was 6,572 feet mean sea level (msl), and the calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was about 9,300 feet msl.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA364. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N788BD.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing approach.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot was approaching the airport for landing about 350 feet above ground level when a fixed wing airplane taxied in front of his intended landing spot, and stopped. He slowed the helicopter to avoid blowing the airplane, and subsequently the helicopter lost tail rotor effectiveness. The helicopter then rapidly descended to the ground and came to rest in a drainage depression. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom during the accident sequence, and the pilot was not injured. The airport elevation was 6,572 feet mean sea level (msl), and the calculated density altitude at the time of the accident was about 9,300 feet msl. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter, and further stated that he could have prevented the accident by avoiding slow speeds at high density altitudes.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR10CA364