# Accident 20040523010129A: Bell 206B, Auburn, WA, May 23, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2004, 14:15 local time
- Place: Auburn, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.2667° N, 122.1453° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2667&lon=-122.1453&mi=10
- Aircraft: N206AF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N206AF-2014-03-11) (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 250C20B
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA04LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040523010129A

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER DROPPED SUDDENLY, AND EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT YAW, ESTIMATED DIRECTION TO THE LEFT. PILOT THEN EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION AND LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AFTER THE LANDING, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE USING THE THROTTLE CONTROL ON THE COLLECTIVE. ON 6/9/2004, THE HELICOPTER WAS INSPECTED BY THE NTSB, ROLLS ROYCE ENGINE COMPANY, AND THE FAA FOR SUSPECTED ENGINE POWER LOSS. FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY AND FOUND INTACT EXCEPT FOR CRASH DAMAGED AREAS OF THE TAIL BOOM, AND MAIN ROTOR TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE FUEL FILTER WAS INSPECTED, WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED. ENGINE OIL CHIP DETECTORS WERE REMOVED AND FOUND IN NORMAL CONDITION. THE ENGINE FUEL NOZZLE WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED, WITH NO FAULTS NOTED. GENERAL INSPECTION OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DAMAGE, AND ALL ASSOCIATED OIL AND FUEL SYSTEM LINES APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY ATTACHED. THE EXHAUST AREA OF THE ENGINE WAS NOTED AS CONTAINING "METAL SPLASHING INDICATIONS" FROM SOME SORT OF MELTED SUBSTANCE. THE COMPRESSOR INLET WAS INSPECTED FOR CONDITION. FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGEWAS NOTED DUE TO CRASH DAMAGED COMPONENTS ENTERING THE ENGINE DURING OPERATION. THIS INGESTION OF MATERIAL WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE "METAL SPLASHING" NOTED IN THE EXHAUST AREA OF THE ENGINE. THE NTSB IS TO SEND ENGINE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER TESTING OF THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND POSSIBLE ENGINE TEST RUN, IF COMPRESSOR DAMAGE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE FOR AN OPERATIONAL TEST.

## 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 SEA04LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA090), May 23, 2004: Bell 206B (N206AF), Auburn, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of control for undetermined reasons.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.