# Accident 20040126000489A: Bell 206B, Turner, OR, January 26, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 26, 2004, 15:45 local time
- Place: Turner, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.8389° N, 122.9167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8389&lon=-122.9167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N92CA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 11,500 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA04LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA036) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040126000489A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 1/26/2004, WHILE PRACTICING LONG LINE VERTICAL ACCURACY MANEUVERS FOR AN UPCOMING O.A.S. CHECKRIDE, UNDER 14 CFR, PART 91 OPERATING RULES, MR. MCDANIEL EXPERIENCED RAPID DECELERATION OF THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN UNCONTROLLED HOVER AT APPROXIMATELY 110 FEET AGL. MR. MCDANIELS EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION INTO THE FIELD HE WAS HOVERING ABOVE. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN PHASE OF THE MANEUVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE TAIL SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT MAIN SKIDS. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO FLEX DOWN AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT, STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERING IT FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN SPOT AND SLID TO AN UPRIGHT STOP. THE FIELD CONSISTED OF WET GRASS APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES TALL WITH INTERMIXED SOFT MUD. MR. MCDANIELS WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED TO REFORESTATION SERVICES, INC. MAINTENANCE FACILITY AT SALEM, OREGON (SLE). A COMPLETE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED WITH EMPHASIS ON THE ENGINE, SPECIFICALLY THE FUEL AND ENGINE PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS.

## 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 SEA04LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA036), Jan 26, 2004: Bell 206B (N92CA), Turner, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect contaminated fuel. A collapsed fuel screen was a contributing factor.

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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