Pilot Debrief

BELL 206B near Stockton, CA — 2022-06-17

Final reportWPR22LA221
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Date
2022-06-17
Location
Stockton, CA, USA
Aircraft
BELL 206B
Registration
N90326
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

Tail rotor blade impact with an unidentified object, which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent rollover of the helicopter.

NTSB narrative

The pilot had departed his home base to relocate the helicopter for an upcoming aerial application job when he felt a vibration and heard a bang, followed immediately by an uncommanded right yaw. While performing a precautionary landing to an orchard, the helicopter entered an uncommanded, continuous right rotation about the vertical axis. The pilot rolled off the throttle and increased collective to cushion the landing, but the helicopter continued the right rotation as it touched down, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, transmission, main rotor, and tail rotor assemblies. Fragments of one tail rotor blade was recovered about 2,000 ft from the main wreckage. The pilot stated that he was unsure if a bird had struck the tail rotor during flight. Postaccident examination of the tail rotor assembly revealed both blades were damaged, and one blade fractured and separated from the hub. The tail rotor blades were shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) materials laboratory, and subsequently to the manufacturer’s laboratory for further examination. The combined examinations revealed translaminar overstress fractures of both tail rotor blades, with one blade exhibiting a leading-edge high-energy impact. Both blades exhibited an unidentified foreign material transfer onto their leading edges. A small amount of nitrile rubber was found lodged into the end of one blade; however, its origin was undetermined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have returned to the departure point after first vibration and bang.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents7

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