# NTSB LAX82IA022: Bell 206L-1, N57397, Avalon, CA, November 26, 1981

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: November 26, 1981
- Place: Avalon, CA · AVALON, CA
- Location: 33.3440° N, 118.3214° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Avalon, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3440&lon=-118.3214&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 27, 1982
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 122731
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX82IA022
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX82IA022

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-0063  81/11/26 NR.AVALON,CA          BELL 206L-1         CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 38,
        TIME - 0910                    N57397              PX-  0  0  2  AIR TAXI-PASSG            UNK/NR TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-NONE         OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE, NOT
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        CLASSIFIED AS INCIDENT
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SAN PEDRO, CA              AVALON,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY: BEARING,ROTOR SHAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
        FACTOR(S)
           POWERPLANT - LUBRICATING SYSTEM: MAGNETIC PLUG
           SYSTEMS - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: RELAYS AND WIRING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OPEN
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON WATER
        REMARKS- FND FAILURE OF 2 1/2 ENG BRG & OPEN IN ELEC WIRING TO UPPER MAG PLUG IN CHIP DETECTOR LGT SYS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N57397](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N57397-1989-03-15), registration cancelled 1989-03-15, S/N 45460 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L-1
- Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (registry code 1182107) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: turbo shaft
- Damage: No damage

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19811126089739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811126089739I), Nov 26, 1981: Bell 206L1, Avalon, CA. Engine failure en route. Inflated floats, autorotated to ocean landing. Bearing failure in engine turbine section.

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.
