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Sun, Nov 30, 2003

Hard Landing In Rhode Island

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

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