- Date
- June 26, 1988, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Missoula, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2754ABell 206B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 8, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880626026179A
- Case key
- 17487
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
A check airman and a commercial plt were performing an instructional flt. During climbout after a practice autorotation, the engine out audio and light warning activated. Both pilots verified an actual engine out and entered an autorotation. The helicopter touched down on soft terrain with some forward movement and low rotor RPM. The main rotor blades contacted the tail boom and severed it. A post accident inspection supervised by an FAA airworthiness inspector, failed to reveal any evidence to explain the reported engine failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2754A
- Reported as
- Bell 206B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2647
- Airframe hours
- 3,068
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Minuteman Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Minuteman Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 1988 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- MSO
- Destination
- MSO
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- MSO · Missoula Int'L
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.