Skip to content

WPR22LA031

2021-10-28 · Covelo, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport UKI

Current FAA registration · N27TK

Make / Model
BELL 206L-3
Year of manufacture
1985 · 36 years old at event
Engine
ALLISON 250-C30 SER (650 hp)
Seats / Engines
7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19951220
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2A5D6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A passenger’s unsecured object departed the cabin resulted in a collision with the tail rotor drive shaft.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the helicopter reported that, he was conducting a local area photography/video flight with passengers. Before departure he had removed the doors and provided a preflight safety briefing, which included briefing his passengers on securing their belongings. While in cruise flight, a passenger’s jacked departed the helicopter and became lodged on the synchronized elevator. The pilot simultaneously felt an impact and noted resistance against the cyclic control. A precautionary landing was made without further incident. The tail rotor drive shaft was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Debris/dirt/foreign object-Contributed to outcome
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Understanding/comprehension-Passenger

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_WPR22LA031.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.