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CEN24LA017

2023-10-17 · Mitchell, Indiana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BFR

Current FAA registration · N490AE

Make / Model
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 206L-4
Year of manufacture
2006 · 17 years old at event
Engine
ROLLS-ROYC 250-C30P (650 hp)
Seats / Engines
5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20060818
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6101D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The inflight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.

Factual narrative

The air medical flight departed from a hospital and was enroute to the operator’s base of operation. About 30 minutes after departure, while in cruise flight, at an airspeed of about 109 kts and an altitude of about 1,058 ft above ground level, the helicopter encountered a bird strike with a black vulture (Coragyps atratus). A heavy vibration ensued, and the pilot performed an off-airport landing to a field. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, which was a bent pitch change link for the main rotor system, from the bird strike. There was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Animal(s)/bird(s)-Ability to respond/compensate
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Animal(s)/bird(s)-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN24LA017.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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