Pilot Debrief

BELL 206B near Spring, TX — 2014-07-30

Final reportCEN14LA465
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Date
2014-07-30
Location
Spring, TX, USA
Airport
DWH
Aircraft
BELL 206B
Registration
N866H
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Preflight

Probable cause

The pilot's distraction by a cell phone call, which led to his failure to perform an exterior check of the helicopter and resulted in a tie-down strap remaining attached to the main rotor during the engine start.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he completed the preflight inspection of the helicopter while it was still in the hangar and that it was then moved onto the ramp. When the pilot arrived to start the helicopter, he was distracted by a cell phone call and did not perform an exterior check of the helicopter. The main rotor tie-down was still attached to the main rotor when the pilot engaged the engine. He was monitoring the cockpit gauges during the engine start when he noticed an individual approaching the helicopter waving his hands. He then heard a "thump," and he initiated an emergency shutdown. He reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The examination of the helicopter revealed that the tie-down strap had broken during the engine start and had gotten caught on the tail rotor output shaft, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom, tail rotor blades, and vertical fin.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not perform an exterior check before starting the engine.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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