Pilot Debrief

BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L 1 near Wichita Falls, TX — 2014-10-04

Final reportCEN15FA003
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Date
2014-10-04
Location
Wichita Falls, TX, USA
Aircraft
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L 1
Registration
N335AE
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
3
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control when he applied power to execute a go-around at a low airspeed in dark, night conditions, which resulted in a rapid, uncommanded right yaw due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was making an approach to a hospital helipad into light wind at night when he chose to go around because he felt that the approach was too high and fast. The pilot lowered the helicopter's nose, added power, and raised the collective, and the helicopter then entered a rapid, "violent" right spin. A review of the last 43 seconds of the helicopter's flight track data revealed that, as the helicopter approached the helipad, it descended from 202 to 152 ft and decelerated from a ground speed of about 9 to 5 knots before it turned right. The pilot attempted to recover from the uncommanded spin by applying left antitorque pedal and cyclic, but he was unable to recover, and the helicopter then spun several times before impacting power lines/terrain. Postaccident examination of the helicopter and the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have caused the helicopter's uncommanded right spin. The helicopter was under its maximum allowable gross weight at the time of the accident, and the wind was less than 4 knots. Federal Aviation Administration guidance states that the loss of tail rotor effectiveness could result in an uncommanded rapid yaw, which, if not corrected, could result in the loss of aircraft control. The guidance further indicates that, at airspeeds below translational lift, the tail rotor is required to produce nearly 100 percent of the directional control and that, if the required amount of tail rotor thrust is not available, the aircraft will yaw right. Therefore, it is likely that that the pilot did not adequately account for the helicopter's low airspeed when he applied power to go around, which resulted in a sudden, uncommanded right yaw due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have executed a go-around instead of attempting to land.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 18 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents18

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