What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 24, 1999, at 1230 mountain standard time, a Bell 206 L-3 helicopter, N617DE, operated by the department of energy, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing near Rifle, Colorado. The airline transport certificated pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this public use positioning flight operating under title 14 CFR part 91 and a company VFR flight plan was on file. According to preliminary information, the flight departed montrose, Colorado, at approximately 1200 for a flight to craig, Colorado. While in cruise flight at 12,000 feet approximately 8 miles from Rifle, a total loss of power occurred which necessitated an autorotation to landing in rough terrain approximately 2 miles from the Rifle airport. Initial examination of the engine, an allison 250-C30P, provided evidence of a catastrophic internal failure. (-23)N617DE, a Bell 206 L3 single engine helicopter, experienced a partial loss of power followed shortly thereafter by enigne failure. The initial power loss occurred at approx. 12,000 feet MSL over mountainous terrain. The pilot autorotated to an open area located 2 miles south of the garfield county airport, rifl, Colorado. The elevation of the landing area was 5765 feet MSL. The helicopter landed hard resulting in substantial damage to the helicopter. Initial investigation revealed the engine had failed internally due failure of the oil scavenge pump. The reason for the failure of the oil scavenge pump has not been determined. The engine is being taken to the allison factory in indiapolis, ind. For tear down. When the teardown is complete and the cause of the oil scavenge pump failure has been determined a supplemental report will be submitted.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 24, 1999, AT 1230 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206 L-3 HELICOPTER, N617DE, OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR RIFLE, COLORADO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS PUBLIC USE POSITIONING FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MONTROSE, COLORADO, AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 FOR A FLIGHT TO CRAIG, COLORADO. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 12,000 FEET APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES FROM RIFLE, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WHICH NECESSITATED AN AUTOROTATION TO LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE RIFLE AIRPORT. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, AN ALLISON 250-C30P, PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF A CATASTROPHIC INTERNAL FAILURE. (-23)N617DE, A BELL 206 L3 SINGLE ENGINE HELICOPTER, EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY ENIGNE FAILURE. THE INITIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED AT APPROX. 12,000 FEET MSL OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO AN OPEN AREA LOCATED 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE GARFIELD COUNTY AIRPORT, RIFL, COLORADO. THE ELEVATION OF THE LANDING AREA WAS 5765 FEET MSL. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. INITIAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED INTERNALLY DUE FAILURE OF THE OIL SCAVENGE PUMP.THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE OF THE OIL SCAVENGE PUMP HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE ENGINE IS BEING TAKEN TO THE ALLISON FACTORY IN INDIAPOLIS, IND. FOR TEAR DOWN. WHEN THE TEARDOWN IS COMPLETE AND THE CAUSE OF THE OIL SCAVENGE PUMP FAILURE HAS BEEN DETERMINED A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.