ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272858
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| Date: | Thursday 30 December 2021 |
| Time: | c. 11:45 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | 206B LLC |
| Registration: | N8AU |
| MSN: | 4089 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Livingston, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Livingston Municipal Airport, TX (00R) |
| Livingston, TX | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On December 30, 2021, about 1141 central standard time, a Bell 206B, N8AU, was substantially damaged during an accident near Livingston, Texas. The pilot was seriously injured, one passenger was fatally injured, and two passengers received minor injuries. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Preliminary track data for the flight showed that the helicopter departed the Livingston Municipal Airport (00R) and headed east-northeast for about 25 nm before reversing course to a west-southwest direction. The helicopter then turned further south before the end of the data at 1138. The final recorded location was 1.8 nm northeast of the accident site.
According to the surviving passengers, the flight was a sightseeing flight that the deceased front seat passenger had won at a local charity auction. On the day of the accident, the passengers met the pilot at 00R, and the helicopter departed about 1107. The original intent was to fly over the deceased passenger’s childhood home near Woodville, Texas. While on-course toward Woodville, it became evident that the flight could not be continued due to low clouds and the helicopter was then maneuvered to the passenger’s current residence near Livingston. The rear seat passengers stated that the helicopter flew down the road where the residence was located and then around the house making a level right turn at low speed. The helicopter then flew over a pond on the property and then toward the house. As the helicopter approached the house it was facing a south direction and came to a hover above the trees where the accident occurred. The passengers stated that the helicopter was either motionless in the hover or slightly drifting.
Once in the hover, the helicopter began to rotate to the right, which one passenger initially thought was the pilot intentionally maneuvering the helicopter. The helicopter continued to rotate, and the passenger realized the rotation was not intentional. The helicopter rotated about 2 full revolutions before striking a tree with the rotor blades and falling to the ground. It came to rest on its left side on top of a wood pile that had been created due to land clearing. One passenger noted that after attending to the pilot and front seat passenger that the helicopter’s engine was still running. He started moving any switch he could find to the “off”
position until the helicopter’s engine stopped.
Due to the positioning of the helicopter at the accident site a comprehensive examination was not possible. A subsequent post-recovery examination is planned.
Sources:
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/30/texas-dps-1-dead-3-injured-after-helicopter-crash-near-cut-and-shoot-in-polk-county/
https://abc13.com/texas-helicopter-crash-livingston-chopper-accident/11407559/
https://bluebonnetnews.com/2021/12/30/livingston-man-killed-in-helicopter-crash/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/polk-county-helicopter-crash/285-97ab11ab-892b-4133-8c5b-9251941f3313
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=8AU
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8AU/history/20211230/1709Z/00R/L%2030.68697%20-94.89845
https://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/000/304/304536.jpg (photo)
Ex: N860, C-GFNQ
Location
Media:
A 54-year-old man died at the scene. Two other passengers and the pilot were all taken to area hospitals for treatment. https://t.co/4chNFo1VBt
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) December 30, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Dec-2021 22:29 | Geno | Added |
| 30-Dec-2021 22:38 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 30-Dec-2021 23:00 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2021 23:29 | Aerossurance | Updated [Damage, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2021 23:36 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2021 23:38 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source] |
| 30-Dec-2021 23:45 | RobertMB | Updated [Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 31-Dec-2021 00:57 | johnwg | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category] |
| 01-Jan-2022 20:36 | Captain Adam | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jan-2022 00:20 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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