# Accident 19980514009229A: Bell 206B, Temecula, CA, May 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 1998, 18:10 local time
- Place: Temecula, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NJDG
- Location: 33.4936° N, 117.1484° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Temecula, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4936&lon=-117.1484&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90215, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90215-1999-03-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,027 total, 2,177 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA159) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980514009229A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER ON TAKEODD. CRASHED IN A FIELD. (FROM .4) THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM THE FUEL TRUCK AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE SLOPING TERRAIN.  THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL SPOOLING DOWN AS HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.  WHEN THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR SECTION WAS EXAMINED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INTERNAL COMPRESSOR CASE PLASTIC COATING WAS CRACKED WITH SECTIONS OF THE PLASTIC MISSING.  EROSION WHICH EXCEEDED THE MANUFACTURER'S ALLOWABLE LIMITS WAS VISIBLE THROUGH THE FIRST FOUR VANE STAGES AND WAS MOST EVIDENT IN THE LOWER CASE HALF.  ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, WHEN COMPRESSOR EROSION IS UNCHECKED IT WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF ONE OF THE VANES DUE TO A LOSS OF STIFFNESS.  THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL STATES THAT THE COMPRESSOR CASE SHOULD BE REPLACED IF ANY VANES ARE CRACKED, BROKEN, OR SHOW ANY EVIDENCE OF TIP RUB ON THE ROTOR SPACER.  IT FURTHER STATES THAT CORROSION OR EROSION CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE COMPRESSOR BLADES AND VANES THAT CAN RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE.  THE MANUFACTURER SPECIFIES INSPECTION INTERVALS OF THE COMPRESSOR CASE SHOULD BE    DETERMINED BY THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN ANY CASE, SHOULD NOT EXCEED 300 HOURS. THE COMPRESSOR CASE HALVES HAD WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER 1996 AND HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 600 HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THEY HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED SINCE BEING OVERHAULED.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN OPERATING IN DESERT TERRAIN. (-23) ON MAY 14, 1998, AT 1810 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B, N90215, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER ON TAKEOFF AND CRASHED IN A FIELD APPROX. 2 MILES WEST OF THE TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED.  THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 137, ORIGINATED FROM FALLBROOK, CALIFORNIA, AT 0645, AND HAD MADE MULTIPLE REFUELING STOPS IN THE FIELDS BEING WORKED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS ON TAKEOFF AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN A FIELD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA159), May 15, 1998: Bell 206B (N90215), Temecula, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to a deteriorated compressor air seal which resulted in the fracture and separation of several stator vanes. Deterioration was not detected as a result of an inadequate…

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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