Bell 206 L4 accident near Broussard, Louisiana, August 18, 2016
On August 18, 2016 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 2004 Bell 206 L4 (helicopter), registered N7898X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Broussard, Louisiana (Variable Bor Ram airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point, which resulted in the helicopter sliding off the aft end of the transport dolly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2016 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Broussard, Louisiana · Variable Bor Ram · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L4 L4, built 2004 · all 206 L4s on the register
- Registration
- N7898X · registry record · serial 52299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the skid-equipped helicopter, he was practicing landing on an 18 foot by 18 foot transport dolly. The pilot reported that during his second landing on the dolly, he landed on the aft end of the dolly and the helicopter slid backwards. He recalled that he heard and felt a thump, pulled pitch, and the helicopter ascended about 5 feet, yawed to the right and he initiated an autorotation and landed. He reported that the bottom of the skids showed scrape marks, "so I must have slid back off the dolly and hit the tail stinger." The tailboom and the vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the helicopter during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Tailstrike during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,400 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 23, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 4,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce M250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Acadiana Helicopters LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: IYA Abbeville LA
- Destination: 3LA7 Broussard LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway H1, 65 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 6:41 pm from KLFT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 18, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.