# Accident 19990901042539A: Bell 206B, Delhi, CA, September 1, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 1999, 06:15 local time
- Place: Delhi, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Prw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: PWFG
- Location: 37.4306° N, 120.7759° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Delhi, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4306&lon=-120.7759&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59551, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59551-2013-04-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP (registry code 03013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA293) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990901042539A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN DECREASING DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB, ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET AGL, WHILE HE WAS OVER A GROVE OF TREES. HE EXTENDED HIS AUTOROTATIVE GLIDE TO MAKE IT PAST THE TREES, WHICH RESULTED IN A FURTHER DECREASE OF MAIN ROTOR RPM.  THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, ABOUT 20 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR OF FORWARD VELOCITY, AND ROLLED OVER.  POSTCRASH EXAMINATION BY A FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION; HOWEVER, THE FLUID FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER AND MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP SCREEN WAS NOTED TO BE ABOUT 90 PERCENT WATER.  ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE FLUID FOUND IN THE CECO FUEL SYSTEM SCREEN WAS ALSO WATER.  THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS LOOSE IN THE OPENING AND DID NOT APPEAR TO SEAL PROPERLY; THE SHAFT SEAL WAS WORN IN THE CAP AND THE CAP LOCKING MECHANISM WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY.  WHEN THE FUEL CAP WAS REMOVED, THE INSPECTOR NOTED THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL FILLER OPENING WAS DEFORMED FROM THE FUEL NOZZLES BEING INSERTED IN THE OPENING.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD WASHED THE HELICOPTER THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT HE HAD DRAINED FUEL FROM THE AIRFRAME FUEL  (.4) CONT'D FILTER AND FUEL SUMP AND HADN'T NOTED ANY WATER OR CONTAMINANTS(-23) ENGINE GRADUALLY LOST POWER 1/2 MILE FROM TAKEOFF, TO AVOID LANDING IN A ALMOND ORCHARD, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN YAM FIELD 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE AWAY. ROTOR RPM DROPPED TO LOW TO AUTO ROTATE, TAIL HIT THE GROUND FIRST, ROTOR BLADES CUT OFF THE TAIL BOOM, HELICOPTER THEN WENT END OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE, CRASH OCCURRED AT 14560 WEST EL CAPITAN.

## 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 LAX99LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA293), Sep 1, 1999: Bell 206B (N59551), Delhi, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadequate preflight, which failed to detect water contamination of the fuel system. The operator's inadequate maintenance of the loose fitting fuel cap…

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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