- Date
- July 30, 2016, 04:40 local (11:40 UTC)
- Place
- Modesto, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N206LWBell Helicopter Textron 206
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160730025009A
- Case key
- 93740
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 failure to maintain pitch control during an autorotation, which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. Contributing to the accident was the low fuel level which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power during the right turn to final.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot reported that after a lengthy search and rescue mission he was headed back to the airport when the low fuel light illuminated, which meant there was about 10 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot further reported that during the approach to land he made a right turn to final and the engine "flamed out". Subsequently, the pilot performed an emergency autorotation which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. After the landing, the passenger examined the helicopter and revealed that the tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power reported by the pilot was likely the result of fuel starvation during the right turn to final. The pilot reported that the fuel level was not checked after the accident.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that after a lengthy search and rescue mission he was headed back to the airport when the low fuel light illuminated, which meant there was about 10 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot further reported that during the approach to land he made a right turn to final and the engine "flamed out". Subsequently, the pilot performed an emergency autorotation which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. After the landing, the passenger examined the helicopter and revealed that the tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power reported by the pilot was likely the result of fuel starvation during the right turn to final. The pilot reported that the fuel level was not checked after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N206LW
- Reported as
- Bell Helicopter Textron 206 (L1)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45182
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 6,720.5
- Engine
- Rolls Royce C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - local · Public use
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 10, 2016
- Departed
- MOD · Modesto, CA
- Destination
- MOD · Modesto, CA
- Airport
- MOD · Modesto City-Co-Harry Sham Fld, runway 28R, 5,904 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 16, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 6,532 total · 3,700 in this make and model · 5,351 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- KMOD
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 24, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.