# NTSB FTW02LA102: Bell 206L-3, N30YB, Oakley, UT, March 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 26, 2002, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Oakley, UT - Coordinates: 40.810009, -111.110565 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8100&lon=-111.1106&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54401 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54401/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54401 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA102 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, hover - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, hover - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command - rotor rpm - low - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - none suitable - terrain condition - snow covered - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis While operating in mountainous terrain at 10,000-foot elevation, the pilot landed the helicopter in an open area in the bottom of a canyon, where the passengers boarded the helicopter. Subsequently, with the helicopter at hover, the pilot noted that the torque gage was indicating 85-89 percent, the turbine outlet gas temperature was in the green, and everything else was in the green and functionally normally. The pilot turned the helicopter to the left to align with the takeoff area. During the turn, the torque gauge indicated 92 percent and stabilized. Subsequently, the torque gauge dropped to about 50 percent, and the helicopter started a rapid and uncontrolled turn to the left and descended. When the pilot applied collective, the low rpm audio came on and the helicopter started a rapid and uncontrolled turn to the right. The helicopter impacted on a hill, rolled to the left, and came to rest in the snow. The reason for the reported loss of engine power was not determined. ## Factual narrative On March 26, 2002, at 1230 mountain standard time, a Bell 206L-3 single-engine helicopter, N30YB, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power while hovering in mountainous terrain near Oakley, Utah. The helicopter was owned and operated by Pulsar Helicopters, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot and the 4 passengers were not injured, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight originated from Bountiful, Utah, at 1100. The pilot reported that he had flown several trips in and out of the ski areas of the Uintah Mountains at approximately 10,000-foot elevation. The pilot landed the helicopter in an open area in the bottom of a canyon, where the passengers boarded the helicopter. Subsequently, with the helicopter at hover, the pilot noted that the torque gauge was indicating 85-89 percent, the turbine outlet gas temperature was in the green, and everything else was in the green and functioning normally. The pilot turned the helicopter to the left to align with the takeoff area. During the turn, the torque gauge indicated 92 percent and stabilized. Subsequently, the torque gauge dropped to about 50 percent, The helicopter started a rapid and uncontrolled turn to the left, and descended. When the pilot applied collective, the low rpm audio came on and the helicopter started a rapid and uncontrolled turn to the right. The helicopter impacted on a hill, rolled to the left, and came to rest in the snow. Local authorities, who responded to the accident site, found the helicopter resting on the left side. The helicopter sustained structural damage to the tail boom. The main rotor blades, tail rotor, transmission, and the tail rotor gearbox were also damaged. The reason for the reported loss of engine power was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N30YB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30YB-2004-04-09), registration cancelled 2004-04-09, S/N 51366, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206L-3 - Registry model: [Bell 206L-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3) (registry code 1182108) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 51366 - Airframe hours: 2690.3 - Engines: Allison 250-C30P 435 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Bountiful, UT - Destination: Oakley, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 27, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 5,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 4,900 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F ## 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 20020326006159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020326006159A), Mar 26, 2002: Bell 206L3, Oakley, UT, No damage. (-23) Pilot operated helicopter beyond its performance and structural limitations. ## Docket (14 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54401. 5.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396005&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement from Park City Helicopters (item 2, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20from%20Park%20City%20Helicopters-Redacted.PDF - Report of Federal Agency. (FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 299 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173450&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20of%20Federal%20Agency.%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Report from State Agency (Utah State Police) (item 4, .PDF, 586 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396008&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20State%20Agency%20(Utah%20State%20Police)-Redacted.PDF - Photo 01: View of helicopter. (Courtesy of Utah Search and Rescue) (item 5, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173454&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2001%3A%20View%20of%20helicopter.%20(Courtesy%20of%20Utah%20Search%20and%20Rescue)-Master.PDF - Photo 2: View of helicopter. (Courtesy of Utah Search and Rescue) (item 6, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173455&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20View%20of%20helicopter.%20(Courtesy%20of%20Utah%20Search%20and%20Rescue)-Master.PDF - Photo 03: View of portion of helicopter. (Courtesy of Utah Search and Rescue) (item 7, .PDF, 135 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173456&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2003%3A%20View%20of%20portion%20of%20helicopter.%20(Courtesy%20of%20Utah%20Search%20and%20Rescue)-Master.PDF - Photo 04: View of main rotor head. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173457&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2004%3A%20View%20of%20main%20rotor%20head.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 05: View of swash plate assembly. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 9, .PDF, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173459&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2005%3A%20View%20of%20swash%20plate%20assembly.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 06: View of tail rotor blade assembly. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 10, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173460&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2006%3A%20View%20of%20tail%20rotor%20blade%20assembly.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 07: View of portion of the main rotor blade. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 11, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173462&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2007%3A%20View%20of%20portion%20of%20the%20main%20rotor%20blade.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 08: View of portion of the tail rotor drive shaft. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 12, .PDF, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173464&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2008%3A%20View%20of%20portion%20of%20the%20tail%20rotor%20drive%20shaft.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 09: View of portion of main rotor mast. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 13, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173467&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2009%3A%20View%20of%20portion%20of%20main%20rotor%20mast.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 10: View of hydraulic push/pull tubes. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 14, .PDF, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40173479&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010%3A%20View%20of%20hydraulic%20push%2Fpull%20tubes.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.