- Date
- August 10, 1988, 18:30 local (Aug 11, 1988, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sturgis, SD
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N49727Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 3, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880810035689A
- Case key
- 17524
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
The plt was on a flt with 2 pax to take pictures. He stated that 'while in level flight at 120 mph and 300 feet above the ground, a pitch over was initiated for picture taking. At that moment, it appeared that the fuel flow cavitated. The forward fuel pump was determined to be inoperative just before the helicopter touched down, by the warning light and the audio engine warning horn. A full safe autorotation was performed to touchdown in a field, 1/4 mile from where the engine quit. Upon touchdown, the helicopter rocked forward and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom.' A post-acdnt inspn verified that the electrical fuel boost pump was inop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49727
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 5,700
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ray Burney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 1988 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- Sturgis, SD
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 20,500 total · 12,000 in this make and model · 20,500 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N49727 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.