Eurocopter EC130 accident near Knoxville, TN
On August 3, 2020, an Eurocopter EC130 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Knoxville, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 3, 2020
- Place
- Knoxville, TN
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter EC130 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.945°N, 83.956°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200803X11310
Official records · ERA20LA273
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 3, 2020, at 1941 eastern daylight time, an Airbus EC130-B4 helicopter, N55GJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee. One passenger was fatally injured, and the pilot and two additional passengers were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. After refueling the helicopter, the pilot and his passengers departed McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 1826 for a flight in the local area. About 1940 the pilot made a right circling approach over the Tennessee River toward a landing site on his property near the river’s edge. He stated that he “was descending with low power and a 25° angle of descent, slowing to come to a hover at low speed over the water.” He further stated that he was planning to hover taxi to the landing site at a height about 75 feet above the water and that when he added power to arrest the descent, the helicopter “started to settle.” He stated he “pulled max power to stop the settling,” but it was as if the helicopter “didn't have any power” and it continued to descend until it impacted the river. A witness on the neighboring property reported that the helicopter “came from the south and kind of hovered over the water pretty low.” She stated that it hovered longer than usual before tilting toward the south and descending into the water. A passenger stated that when the helicopter descended toward the water in a level attitude, the left “skid hit and then rotor hit” and the helicopter was “torqued in
Probable cause
The pilot's entry into vortex ring state and his inability to arrest the helicopter's descent while maneuvering for landing.
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Browse: Tennessee · Eurocopter 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.
