ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 368172
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| Date: | Saturday 19 August 1989 |
| Time: | 12:50 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 206B |
| Owner/operator: | Mid-state Executive Helicopter |
| Registration: | N117V |
| MSN: | 1453 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1974 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5662 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fruithurst, AL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Anniston, AL | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE PATROLLING UTILITY LINES AT 700 FEET AGL. HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATIVE GLIDE TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TO AVOID TREES CLOSE TO THE GROUND, AT WHICH TIME MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED. THE PILOT COULD NOT LEVEL THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEM. THE ENGINE AND ATTACHED COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED, AND NO MATERIAL OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WAS DETECTED. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER WAS CAPABLE OF AUTOROTATING NORMALLY. THE PILOT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY BELOW A POINT WHERE HE COULD NOT RECOVER WITHOUT THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINING DAMAGE. THIS WAS THE SECOND ACCIDENT WHERE THIS PILOT WAS INVOLVED AS PILOT IN COMMAND AND AUTOROTATIVE PROCEDURES WERE IN QUESTION.
Probable Cause: PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM WHILE EXECUTING AN AUTOROTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW AUTOROTATION PROCEDURES AFTER THE REPORTED ENGINE FAILURE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL89FA200
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 23 May 2013 | N297CA | Air-evac Lifeteam | 0 | St Louis, Missouri | |
sub |
| Uncontained engine failure | ||||||
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Mar-2024 07:56 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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