- Date
- May 7, 1991, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 2 minor; on the ground: 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N717NHBell 206B-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910507014309A
- Case key
- 18022
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Engine mount delamination and lack lubrication, causing the drive shaft to fail. Poor servicing of the helicopter was a related factor.
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
While on a flight over metropolitan Houston to get aerial video footage, the main drive shaft coupling failed & the pilot was forced to make an autorotation. He tried to land in a parking lot, but was unable to reach it. Subsequently, the helicopter crash landed on the roof of an apartment house. An investigation disclosed the engine mount was oil soaked & had delaminated, causing misalignment of the drive shaft. Also, a lack of lubrication was noted in the main drive shaft coupling. Other maintenance discrepancies were also noted during the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N717NH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2847
- Airframe hours
- 2,966
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Contractors Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 27, 1990 · 98 hours before
- Departed
- N/A · Houston, TX
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
- 57
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,021 total · 1,415 in this make and model · 7,414 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HOU, 9 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.