20040824019189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Panama City, FL · August 24, 2004

Date: August 24, 2004 · 17:00 local
Place: Panama City, FL
Airport: Panama City-Bay County
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: XNCA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N107PH
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA04LA123
Reported as: Bell 206B
Reported engine: Allison 250C20B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,000 total3,800 in this make and model83 in the last 90 days

N107PHRegistered now · Bell 206BS/N 2789 · Built 1979 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot stated that helicopter lost power about 50FT above water. He deployed the floats and landed hard in the water. Upon inspection of the helicopter it was found that the pg line had backed off of the governor and caused the engine to go to min RPM. The governor had been installed some 500 hrs ago and had signs of torque seal on the line b nut.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HELICOPTER LOST POWER ABOUT 50FT ABOVE WATER. HE DEPLOYED THE FLOATS AND LANDED HARD IN THE WATER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PG LINE HAD BACKED OFF OF THE GOVERNOR AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GO TO MIN RPM. THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED SOME 500 HRS AGO AND HAD SIGNS OF TORQUE SEAL ON THE LINE B NUT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA04LA123Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPanama City, FLInadequate maintenance inspection resulting in the partial loss of engine power due to a loose pneumatic line on the governor and ditching of the helicopter.Aug 24, 2004 · Substantial damage