# Accident 19970606016789A: Bell 206L1, Highland, CA, June 6, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 6, 1997, 17:03 local time
- Place: Highland, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1135° N, 117.1657° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Highland, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1135&lon=-117.1657&mi=10
- Aircraft: N27591, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27591-2013-05-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 11,000 total, 2,900 in this make and model, 61 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970606016789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

HELICOPTER CRASHED DURING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS, UNABLE TO RADIO MAYDAY, ENGINE FLAMED OUT. (.4) AFTER A WATER DROP, THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT PULL UP AND TURN. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LINES FROM THE ENGINE FUEL NOZZLE TO THE FUEL CONTROL AND THE AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER CONTAINED FUEL. BOTH FUEL BOOST PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE IN THE SET POSITION; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AUTO IGNITION. THE LINES AND IN-LINE FILTERS CONTAINED BOTH FUEL AND PARTICULATE MATTER IN THE BOTTON OF BOTH FILTER HOUSINGS. TESTING REVEALED THAT THE MANIFOLD CHECK VALVE LEAKED FROM BOTH INLET PORTS. WHEN THE VALVES WERE DISASSEMBLED ADDITIONAL FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS FOUND. ADDITIONAL TESTING REVEALED THAT THE VALVES INSTALLED AT THEINLET CONNECTION ALSO LEAKED DUE TO SIMILAR CONTAMINATION. LEAKING VALVES CAN REDUCE THE MOTIVE VOLUMN OF FUEL TO THE AFT FUEL CELL RESULTING IN AN ABNORMALLY LOW FUEL LEVEL IN THE AFT FUEL CELL. IF THE OPERATING BOOST PUMPS ARE UNPORTED, SUCH AS THROUGH AN INTENTIONALLY ABRUPT MANEUVER, AIR CAN BE 'SUCKED' INTO THE ENGINE BY THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP RESULTING IN THE EXTINCTION OF THE INGNITION FLAME. THE PILOT MONITORED HIS REMAINING FUEL WITH A CL OCK RATHER THAN BY LOW FUEL LIGHTS OR FUEL GAUGE.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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