Bell 206L1 accident near Tusayan, AZ
On August 8, 1993, a Bell 206L1 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Tusayan, AZ. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 8, 1993
- Place
- Tusayan, AZ
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L1 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 9 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.030°N, 112.019°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X13164
NTSB summary
On August 7, 1993, about 1703 hours mountain standard time, a Bell 206L1, N444CR, collided with a second Bell 206L3, N38903, while hover taxiing to a parking pad at the Papillon company heliport, Tusayan, Arizona. Both helicopters were operated by Papillon Airways, Inc., Kirkland, Washington, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations as on demand air taxi sightseeing flights over the Grand Canyon National Park. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and both flights were on company VFR flight plans. Both helicopters were destroyed in the collision sequence. Each helicopter had seven occupants for a total of 14 persons involved. The pilot of N444CR was not injured, however, three passengers sustained serious injuries and three passengers incurred minor injuries. The pilot of N38903 was not injured, however, the six passengers on board incurred minor injuries. The flight of N444CR, using company call sign "Copter Four," originated from the Papillon heliport on the day of the mishap at 1633 hours and was returning to the heliport after completing a sight seeing tour of the park. N38903, using company call sign "Copter Eight," was awaiting a takeoff clearance from the company ramp controller to begin an aerial sight seeing tour of the Grand Canyon National Park. The Papillon company heliport in Tusayan has six parking pads, numbered from zero to five, which are oriented on a north to south crescent shaped line with pad zero at the north end. A common approach zone for all of the parking pads is located behind pads two and three.
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N444CR TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE MAIN ROTOR CLEARANCE FROM N38903, AND THE OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OR RECOMMENDED SAFE HELIPAD DIMENSIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE ROTATING BLADES OF THE PARKED HELICOPTER, N38903.
More accidents in AZ
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Browse: Arizona · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
