# Accident 20210409002769A: Eurocopter EC120B, Leroy, KS, April 9, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2021, 13:18 local time
- Place: Leroy, KS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: D03A
- Location: 38.0960° N, 95.6345° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0960&lon=-95.6345&mi=10
- Aircraft: N421PB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421PB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter EC120B (registry code 8680987, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec120b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER EC120B
- Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIUS
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 545 total, 164 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA187) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210409002769A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TOPEKA,KS WITH DESTINATION OF CLAREMORE,OK. APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2000 MSL, THE PILOT HEARD THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN AND NOTICED AN NF AND NR DROOP. PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND CAME AFT ON THE CYCLIC AND STABLIZED THE ROTOR RPM. THE PILOT SEARCHED FOR A SITE TO LAND AND MADE A RIGHT TURN TO AN OPEN FIELD. WHILE MAKING APPROACH TO THE OPEN FIELD THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR RPM LEVEL CONTINUED TO DROP WHICH FORCED AN AUTOROTATION, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT LANDING IN AN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SHORT OF THE SELECTED LANDING SITE.

## 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 CEN21LA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA187), Apr 9, 2021: Eurocopter EC120 (N421PB), LeRoy, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The contamination of the fuel injection manifold filter due to improper maintenance, resulting in a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…

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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