News Helo On Promotional Shoot Gets "TOO MUCH" Publicity

Ouch. That’s the first word that comes to mind when you see the video of a news helicopter as it begins to spin, then quickly falls to the ground.

It happened in Cranston (RI) Thursday during a promotional shoot for WJAR-TV. The helicopter made a pass directly at the camera, then suddenly went into a spin (indicating probably tail rotor failure).

"I saw it spinning, like a rotary spin. It was spinning down easily. It didn't seem to be a nose dive. It spun down easily. I stayed at the stop sign. I didn't know if it would explode," said Karen Pertuso, quoted on WJAR’s web site.

Two people were onboard when the helicopter went down. Neither of them – the pilot and a photographer – was hurt in the accident. The aircraft went down in the parking lot of a Pepsi bottling plant. The two crew members were taken to a local hospital, then released.

Damage appeared significant. The main rotor assembly was completely sheared from the helicopter. A portion of the Bell 206’s tail assembly and the skids were damaged by the impact.

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 90013 Make/Model: B206 Description: BELL 206B HELICOPTER
 Date: 11/26/2003 Time: 2051
 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
 Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
 City: CRANSTON State: RI Country: US

DESCRIPTION
A BELL 206 HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING IN A PARKING LOT, CRANSTON, RI

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
 # Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: PVD METAR 2053Z 230005KT SCT150 OVC250 08/01 A3018

OTHER DATA
 Activity: Business Phase: Landing Operation: General Aviation
 Departed: PROVIDENCE, RI Dep Date: 11/26/2003 Dep. Time: 2044
 Destination: CIRCLE 2 NOF ARPT Flt Plan: NONE Wx Briefing: U
 Last Radio Cont: 2045Z N90013 ADVSE WHEN OVER PHOTO SITE
 Last Clearance: ADVSD WHEN LEAVING AREA
 FAA FSDO: BOSTON, MA (NE01) Entry date: 11/28/2003

FMI: www.ntsb.gov