# NTSB CEN19LA318: Bell 206, N100CK, Hill City, SD, September 12, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 12, 2019, 14:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place: Hill City, SD
- Coordinates: 43.932498, -103.58361 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9325&lon=-103.5836&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Rolls-Royce Engines, TSB - Canada, Bell Helicopter, FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100248
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA318
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100248/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100248
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA318

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Engine (turbine/turboprop)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md?model=1181519), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1181519), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1181519), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot descended the helicopter to land on a field in a bowl-shaped area with prevailing high winds. The pilot reported that the engine stopped producing power during the approach when the helicopter was too low to prevent a hard landing. The helicopter descended, spun, and landed hard, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airframe and test run of the engine did not reveal any anomalies which would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. Testing of the engine could not replicate a loss of engine power. The helicopter was landing at high altitude, with strong winds. It could not be determined if these factors adversely impacted the helicopter’s power available during the landing leading to conditions consistent with a loss of engine performance. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because an examination and engine runs did not reveal any anomalies.

## Factual narrative

On September 12, 2019, about 1410 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N100CK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hill City, South Dakota. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the wind was blowing about 30 to 40 mph in the vicinity of the landing zone, which was a field in a bowl-shaped area above 5,000 ft mean sea level. He conducted an approach into the wind pointing generally northwest. The pilot report that when the helicopter was between 20 to 50 ft above the ground, the engine stopped producing power and he received low rotor rpm and engine out warnings. The helicopter descended, spun two times, landed hard, and rolled onto its side. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage and tail boom. About 50 gallons of fuel were extracted from the fuel tank during recovery of the helicopter. Postrecovery airframe and engine examinations did not reveal any anomalies. The engine was removed from the airframe and a test run was performed. The engine successfully completed idle, flight-idle, max-continuous power, take-off, and “wave-off” performance runs. No anomalies were detected which would have precluded normal operation of the engine.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N100CK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N100CK-2020-05-29), registration cancelled 2020-05-29, S/N 4644, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Bell 206 (B)
- Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-206b) (registry code 1181519) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20J](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20j) (registry code 54181, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 4644
- Year built: 2007
- Airframe hours: 1450
- Engines: Rolls-Royce (Allison) 350-C20 317 hp turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Airport: N/A

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 9, 2018; seat: right; flight hours: 1,039.6 total, 974.5 in this make and model, 45.5 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 18 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observed at: KCUT, 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 20190912015419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190912015419A), Sep 12, 2019: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206B, Hill City, SD, Substantial damage. Pilot owner / pilot and passenger wife were proceeding to a guest ranch. Wind was blowing from nw at 30 to 40MPH. Pilot had been here before and attempted to…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100248. 3.4 MB in all.

- Investigation notes (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 191 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12984290&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Notes-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 324 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12984579&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%203-Rel.pdf
- Airframe & engine examination summary (item 3, PDF, 6 pages, 4 photos, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12983801&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N100CK%20Exam%20Notes-Rel.pdf
- Ushst airmanship safety bulletin power available limitations (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 906 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13631461&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airmanship%20Power%20Available%20Part%202-Rel.pdf

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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