HUNTINGTON, UT, USA
N500CN
BELL 206L-1
WHILE IN A STABILIZED, OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER, AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE HELICOPTER STARTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE RIGHT TURN. THE PLT STATED THAT USING FULL LEFT PEDDLE HAD NO EFFECT ON STOPPING THE SPIN. AT THE ONSET OF THE SPIN, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT FELT A HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE REDUCED THE ROTOR RPM BY ROLLING OFF THE THROTTLE & LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO TREES IN A RIGHT SPIN. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE ACFT. THE COPLT STATED THAT HE FELT THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF TAILROTOR AUTHORITY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HELICOPTER. REVIEW OF HEIGHT-VELOCITY CHART FOR THE BELL 206L-1 INDICATED THAT A SUCCESSUL AUTO-ROTATION FROM HOVER A 300 FEET AGL IS NOT PROBABLE. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6800 FT MSL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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