# NTSB ANC06CA122: Bell 206B, N121RH, Orlando, FL, August 9, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 9, 2006, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Orlando, FL - Coordinates: 28.553333, -81.343887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.5533&lon=-81.3439&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 64389 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06CA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64389/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06CA122 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - precautionary landing - initiated, pilot in command - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - performed, pilot in command - Hard landing, emergency landing - terrain condition - ground ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N121RH-2010-08-31), registration cancelled 2010-08-31, S/N 3443, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3443 - Airframe hours: 5328 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060809018329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060809018329A), Aug 9, 2006: Bell 206B, Kissimmee, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted] ^ had not done appropriate planning and ran out of fuel. 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. --- 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.