# NTSB LAX03LA183: Bell 206B, N242TK, Malone, TX, June 6, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2003, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC) - Place: Malone, TX - Coordinates: 31.966667, -96.866668 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9667&lon=-96.8667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Rolls-Royce Allison - NTSB case key (mKey): 57168 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57168/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA183 ## Probable cause a fuel starvation induced loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - fluid,fuel - contamination,other than water (cause) - fuel system,nozzle - blocked(total) (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - misc rotorcraft,tail boom - separation ## Analysis The helicopter was damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The operator reported that the pilot was positioning the helicopter after maintenance. The helicopter was in cruise when the engine lost power, and the pilot executed an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard, and the tailboom separated. Examination of the helicopter determined that the engine compartment and engine were not damaged. The particle separator was undamaged, and there was no blockage. The fuel control and power turbine governor rigging was intact and appeared normal. The bleed valve was in the open position. When closed by hand, it freely returned to the open position. The pneumatic tubing was intact, and all B-nuts were at least finger tight. N2 rotated freely and smoothly with no unusual noises, and was continuous to the main transmission. The fuel supply line from the fire shield to the fuel nozzle contained a normal amount of fuel. There was contamination in the airframe and engine fuel filters. Disassembly and inspection of the fuel nozzle revealed contamination in the filter screen. The screen had collapsed, and the contamination had the appearance of "DIEGME" (Apple Jelly). ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2003, about 1715 central daylight time, a Bell 206B, N242TK, made a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Malone, Texas. The helicopter landed hard and the tail boom separated. Heart of Texas Helicopters was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The cross-country positioning flight departed a private dirt pad near Baldwell, Texas, about 1700, en route to a private pad near Waco, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 31 degrees 58 minutes north latitude and 96 degrees 52 minutes west longitude. The operator reported that the pilot was positioning the helicopter after maintenance. The helicopter was in cruise when the engine lost power, and the pilot executed an autorotation. They had refueled the helicopter prior to takeoff. A Rolls-Royce Allison representative examined the helicopter under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident coordinator. He reported that the engine compartment and engine were not damaged. The particle separator was undamaged, and there was no blockage. The fuel control and power turbine governor rigging was intact and appeared normal. He noted that the bleed valve was in the open position. When closed by hand, it freely returned to the open position. The pneumatic tubing was intact, and all B-nuts were as least finger tight. N2 rotated freely and smoothly with no unusual noises, and was continuous to the main transmission. The Roll-Royce representative reported that the fuel supply line from the fire shield to the fuel nozzle contained a normal amount of fuel. He observed contamination in the airframe and engine fuel filters. He disassembled and inspected the fuel nozzle, which revealed contamination in the filter screen. The screen had collapsed. He said that the contamination had the appearance of "DIEGME" (Apple Jelly). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N242TK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N242TK-2005-03-10), registration cancelled 2005-03-10, S/N 569, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (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: 206B - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250 C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Goodwin Plumbing Service, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: Bardwell, TX - Destination: Waco, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: ACT ## 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 20030606012459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030606012459A), Jun 6, 2003: Bell 206B, Malone, TX, Destroyed. (-23) On June 6, 2003 at approximately 1715 local time, helicopter BHT-206-B, N242TK, operated by Mr. Milton henry wood began to lose power 3 miles north of… 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.