- Date
- May 1, 2006, 20:00 local (May 2, 2006, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Vinita, OK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N342WCBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060501005999A
- Case key
- 63593
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
The pilot's improper pre-flight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 164-hour private pilot reported that when the single-engine turbine powered helicopter was seven miles from the airport, the fuel boost pump caution light illuminated, and the fuel gauge was indicating approximately 15 gallons of fuel remaining. The pilot elected to continue to fly towards the airport; however, while on final approach the engine lost power. The pilot entered an autorotation, but due to his low altitude, he realized the descent angle would have placed the helicopter onto a busy four-lane highway. The pilot added that he increased the collective, which increased altitude, and he was able to cross over the highway and a fence; however, this maneuver reduced inertia in the main rotor system. As a result, the pilot flared over a wet, grassy field about 30 feet, leveled the helicopter and landed with some forward speed. During touchdown, the skids dug into the ground and the helicopter came to an abrupt stop, toppled over, and came to rest upside down. The tail boom separated and came to rest about 20 feet from the fuselage. Examination of the helicopter revealed there was no fuel in the fuel nozzle or in the external fuel filter. There was no indication of a fuel spill during the mishap sequence.
Factual narrative
The 164-hour private pilot reported that when the single-engine turbine powered helicopter was seven miles from the airport, the fuel boost pump caution light illuminated and the fuel gauge was indicating approximately 15 gallons of fuel remaining. The pilot elected to continued to fly toward the airport; however, while on final approach the engine lost power. The pilot entered an autorotation, but due to his low altitude, he realized the descent angle would have placed the helicopter onto a busy four-lane highway. The pilot added that he increased the collective, which increased altitude, and he was able to cross over the highway and a fence; however, this maneuver reduced inertia in the main rotor system. As a result, the pilot flared over a wet, grassy field about 30 feet, leveled the helicopter and landed with some forward speed. During touchdown, the skids dug into the ground and the helicopter came to an abrupt stop, toppled over, and came to rest upside down. The tail boom separated and came to rest about 20 feet from the fuselage. Examination of the helicopter revealed there was no fuel in the fuel nozzle or in the external fuel filter. There was no indication of a fuel spill during the mishap sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N342WC
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1523
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C20, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Summit Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- H97 · Pawnee, OK
- Destination
- H04 · Vinita, OK
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 164 total · 80 in this make and model · 73 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.