- Date
- August 9, 2006, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Orlando, FL
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N121RHBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20060809018329A
- Case key
- 64389
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter prior to the accident flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight, and a hard landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airline transport certificated pilot, with four passengers, departed on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area revenue sightseeing flight in a skid-equipped helicopter. According to the operator's chief pilot, the accident pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the fuel pump warning light illuminated, and he began a precautionary landing approach to a vacant parking lot. While on final approach to the parking lot, the pilot said the "engine flamed out." The pilot initiated an autorotation, but the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter's landing gear cross-tubes were deformed, the pilot's windscreen was broken, and the fuselage received structural damage. An FAA inspector reported that an examination of the helicopter revealed that it had flown 1.5 hours before the accident. The helicopter's fuel gauge, annunciator system, fuel pump, and fuel system, functioned normally. A pressure check of the fuel lines revealed no leakage. The inspector indicated that the fuel tank contained about 40 ounces of fuel. The inspector reported that during his examination of the helicopter, no mechanical malfunction was found.
Factual narrative
The airline transport certificated pilot, with four passengers, departed on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area revenue sightseeing flight in a skid-equipped helicopter. According to the operator's chief pilot, the accident pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the fuel pump warning light illuminated, and he began a precautionary landing approach to a vacant parking lot. While on final approach to the parking lot, the pilot said the "engine flamed out." The pilot initiated an autorotation, but the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter's landing gear cross-tubes were deformed, the pilot's windscreen was broken, and the fuselage received structural damage. An FAA inspector reported that an examination of the helicopter revealed that it had flown 1.5 hours before the accident. The helicopter's fuel gauge, annunciator system, fuel pump, and fuel system, functioned normally. A pressure check of the fuel lines revealed no leakage. The inspector indicated that the fuel tank contained about 40 ounces of fuel. The inspector reported that during his examination of the helicopter, no mechanical malfunction was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N121RH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3443
- Airframe hours
- 5,328
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20`, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Magic Air Adventure, LLC, doing business as Magic Air Adventure/Legacy Grand
- Registered owner
- Quantiv Helicopter Inc. Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2006 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- 36FA · Kissimmee, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 1,350 total · 745 in this make and model · 1,300 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KORL, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.