Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 accident near Manchester, KY
On June 7, 2013, a Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Manchester, KY. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 7, 2013
- Place
- Manchester, KY
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.133°N, 83.756°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130607X04715
Official records · ERA13FA273
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Memorandum for Record - Recording Devices: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Audio of Arrival at the Base: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Audio Copy on Final: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Audio of Pilot Stating "No": Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 6, 2013, about 2315 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206 L-1, N114AE, was destroyed when it impacted the ground in an elementary school parking lot while on approach to the company's helicopter landing zone near Manchester, Kentucky. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed; however, reports of patchy fog were reported by numerous eyewitnesses and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airline transport pilot and two medical personnel were fatally injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Air Evac EMS Inc. and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a repositioning flight to the company-owned helipad. The flight originated from the St. Joseph-London Heliport (5KY9), London, Kentucky about 2259. Numerous eye and auditory witness statements were recorded by the Kentucky State Police and reported to the NTSB for reference. Several eyewitnesses reported to the State Police that the helicopter was observed "flying lower than normal" and "spinning" prior to impact. Some of the eyewitnesses reported that there was no fog in the area and the sky was clear at the time of the accident. Other eyewitnesses reported that while driving down the road that ran in front of, and parallel to, the elementary school, and located between the accident site and the intended landing location, they observed the helicopter in a nose down attitude, impact the ground, and subsequently engulfed in a fireball; however, they also stated the visibility at the time was around 1/4 mile. The eye and auditory
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of helicopter control due to spatial disorientation when he inadvertently encountered night, instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the main rotor and tailboom.
More accidents in KY
- Bombardier, Inc. CRJ-100, Aug 27, 2006
- Piper PA-31T2, Feb 17, 1982
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- Piper PA-32R-301, Mar 22, 2004
Browse: Kentucky
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
