# NTSB FTW95LA368: Bell 206L-1, N2070Z, Oklahoma City, OK, August 27, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 27, 1995, 18:49 local (23:49 UTC) - Place: Oklahoma City, OK - Coordinates: 35.55096, -97.560317 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5510&lon=-97.5603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 14, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19560 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95LA368 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19560/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA368 ## Probable cause THE FAILURE OF THE LOW SIDE OF THE TURBINE GOVERNOR. A FACTOR 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, takeoff - turboshaft engine,free turbine governor - failure,partial (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - congested/confined area - terrain condition - rough/uneven - Hard landing, emergency landing after takeoff - flare - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - rotor rpm - not possible, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis AFTER LANDING THE EMS HELICOPTER AT THE ROOF TOP HELIPAD, THE PILOT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HOSPITALS' ELEVATOR WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE STAIRWAY WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE THE INCUBATOR. FOLLOWING THE TAKEOFF, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED, AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. BELOW THE HELICOPTER WAS A FULL PARKING LOT, A STREET, AND TREES. THE PILOT FLARED THE HELICOPTER OVER THE TREES AND RECALLED LOWERING THE PITCH AND APPLYING FORWARD CYCLIC IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN RPM AND AIRSPEED. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN AN UNEVEN FIELD AND SKIDDED 30 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WINGLETS, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, REAR LANDING GEAR CROSSTUBE, AND THE TAILROTOR DRIVESHAFT COVER. THE COMPANY REPORTED A 'LOW SIDE GOVERNOR FAILURE' AS THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS. ## Factual narrative On August 27, 1995, at 1849 central daylight time, a Bell 206L-1, N2070Z, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The airline transport rated pilot, two medical technicians, and one infant did not receive injuries. The flight was being operated as an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) flight by St. Louis Helicopter Airways, Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 135. The flight originated in Hugo, Oklahoma, at 1728. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company VFR flight plan was filed. During interviews, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and on the Pilot/Operator Report the following information was reported. The purpose of the flight was to transport the infant in an incubator to Mercy Hospital. After landing the helicopter at the roof top helipad, the pilot was informed that the elevator was inoperative and the stairway would not accommodate the incubator. The flight departed the roof top and during the descent toward the ground helipad, a loss of engine power occurred. The pilot initiated an autorotation; however, directly below the helicopter was "a full parking lot, then a row of trees, then a 4 lane street with more trees." Utilizing "pitch and aft" cyclic, the pilot flared the helicopter over the trees. Then the pilot recalled "lowering the pitch slightly and applying a little forward cyclic to try and build a little RPM and airspeed." The aircraft touched down in a "grassy, undulating field" and "skidded 30 yards" before coming to rest. The FAA inspector examined the helicopter and talked with the chief pilot. Damage occurred to the upper portions of the horizontal stabilizer winglets, the lower surface of the main rotor blades, the rear landing gear crosstube, and the tailrotor driveshaft cover. The chief pilot reported "a low side governor failure as the cause of the power loss." ## Aircraft - Registration: N2070Z (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BELL 206L-1 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 45730 - Airframe hours: 7953 - Engines: ALLISON 250-C28 500 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: St. Louis Helicopter Airways - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 23, 1995, 12 hours before - Departed: HUGO, OK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; airline transport; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 7,583 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 6,850 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 180° at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °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 19950827046139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950827046139A), Aug 27, 1995: Bell 206L1, Oklahoma City, OK, Substantial damage. Landed roof helipad. Unable hospital entry. Tred land surface. Lost power. Low rs avoiding objects. Governor failed 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.