| Crash location | 45.000000°N, 108.000000°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Billings, MT
45.783286°N, 108.500690°W 59.3 miles away |
| Tail number | N166LC |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 12 Sep 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Robert L Cooons Rw 1 |
| Additional details: | None |
On September 12, 2018, about 1240 mountain daylight time, a Robert L. Coons RW 1 experimental amateur-built helicopter, N166LC, was substantially damaged after colliding with a hangar while maneuvering at Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), Billings, Montana. The pilot, who was the registered owner of the helicopter, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was being operated in accordance with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight departed at an unknown time.
According to BIL Airport Operations personnel, the pilot frequently hover-taxied the helicopter in an area around the accident site where the aircraft was hangared. While there were no reported witnesses to the accident, an individual who rents a hangar in close proximity to the accident site heard the impact, responded to the site and reported it to local authorities. The helicopter impacted the top section of a hangar with its main rotor blades while hover-taxiing, after which it came to rest with its tailboom laying on the ground. The remainder of the helicopter came to rest on its left side, oriented upward on about a 30-degree angle against the front of the hangar on a southwesterly heading.
The helicopter was recovered to a secured hangar for further examination.