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ERA25LA027

2024-10-27 · Canal Winchester, Ohio, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N54AE

Make / Model
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1
Year of manufacture
1978 · 46 years old at event
Engine
ALLISON 250 SER 250HP (250 hp)
Seats / Engines
7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780628
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6D598

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

An in-flight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the enroute portion of the flight, a large bird impacted the top of the helicopter’s fuselage and main rotor, resulting in substantial damage to a pitch control link and a subsequent vibration. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in a nearby field and was able to land uneventfully. 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)-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_ERA25LA027.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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