# NTSB ATL87MA057: Bell 206L-1, N5004Q, Pollockville, NC, January 9, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Major investigation · Final report
- Date: January 8, 1987, 21:15 local (Jan 9, 1987, 02:15 UTC)
- Place: Pollockville, NC
- Coordinates: 35.000503, -77.219451 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0005&lon=-77.2195&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report November 8, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 7530
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL87MA057
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/7530/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL87MA057

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Fire, cruise - normal
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
  - autorotation - attempted, pilot in command
- Loss of control - in flight, descent - emergency
  - light condition - night (contributing factor)
  - fuselage,crew compartment - smoke (contributing factor)
  - visual lookout - reduced
  - descent - uncontrolled
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - oxygen system - overload
  - oxygen system - fire

## Analysis

THE EMERG MED SVC (EMS/MED-EVAC) HELICOPTER (HEL) WAS ON A NGT FLT WITH A 3 MONTH OLD PATIENT ABOARD. AFTER RPRTG LVL AT3000', THE PLT TRANSMITTED HE WAS GOING TO MAKE AN EMERG LNDG. THIS WAS FLWD BY SVRL UNREADABLE TRANSMISSIONS WHICH APCHCTL PSNL THOUGHT WERE IN REF TO AN ONBOARD FIRE. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A FLT NURSE TRANSMITTED ON THE HOSPITAL FREQ THAT THEY WERE ON-FIRE & WERE GOING DOWN. SOON THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CTC WERE LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HEL CRASHED INA SLGT NOSE DOWN, RGT BANK ATTITUDE & BURNED. IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD BY IMPACT & FIRE. CRASH DMG REVEALED THE HEL HAD IMPACTED AT A HI VERTICAL VELOCITY & WITH LITTLE OR NO FWD MOVEMENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ENG ORAIRFRAME WAS FND. THE HEL HAD BEEN MODIFIED (MOD) FOR EMS OPNS IAW 4 SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATES (STC'S). THE MODS INCLUDED INSTLN OF A HI PRES OXYGEN (O2) SYS. DRG THE ACDNT, SVRL O2 LNS FAILED FM IMPACT OR FIRE, WHICH CREATED A BLOW TORCH EFFECT. THERE WAS NO PROVISION FOR EMERG SHUT-OFF OF THE O2 AT OR NR THE CYLINDERS. SOURCE OF FIRE WAS NOT FND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5004Q (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L-1
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 45168
- Airframe hours: 3626
- Engines: ALLISON 250-C28B 500 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: Both
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Omniflight Airways, Inc., doing business as [Ems]
- Registered owner: Omniflight Airways Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 19, 1985, 23 hours before
- Departed: JACKSONVILLE, NC
- Destination: GREENVILLE, NC
- Flight plan: Company VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,365 total, 1,448 in this make and model, 3,115 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: OAJ, 15 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 19870108079469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870108079469A), Jan 8, 1987: Bell 206L1, Pollocksville, NC, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Reported fire on board. Crashed out of control in autorotation mode. Possible ignition of leaking oxygen bottles.

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.

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