| Crash location | 40.125000°N, 76.300000°W |
| Nearest city | Lancaster, PA
40.016765°N, 76.333016°W 7.7 miles away |
| Tail number | N59MB |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 01 Feb 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Bell 206B |
| Additional details: | None |
On February 1, 2005, at 1426 eastern standard time, a Bell 206B, N59MB, was substantially damaged while attempting to transition to a hover from the ground at the Lancaster Airport, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, as he was raising the collective to hover the helicopter, it immediately rolled over onto its right side. The pilot added that the helicopter was positioned into the direct sunlight, and he experienced "dazzling sunlight" being reflected from surrounding snow banks.
The pilot did not report any mechanical difficulties with the helicopter.
Inspection of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blades and the tail rotor assembly sustained substantial damage.
The pilot's loss of lateral control while attempting to transition to a hover from the ground. A factor was the bright sunlight conditions.