- Date
- September 16, 1988, 15:10 local (Sep 17, 1988, 01:10 UTC)
- Place
- Lihue, HI
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N278KABell 206L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880916044959A
- Case key
- 26107
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a local sightseeing flight, the pilot reported that while on final approach for landing, the audio and light for low RPM sounded and illuminated. The helicopter was autorotated. It initially bounced when it touched down, then landed hard. The engine was still running after the accident. The engine was removed and placed on a test cell. All engine parameters excluding the seal vent pressure, were found to be within limits as recommended by the manufacturer. After changing the vent orifice from a no. 2 to a no. 4 the discrepancy was corrected.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N278KA
- Reported as
- Bell 206L
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 46613
- Airframe hours
- 10,395
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Kenai Air Of Hawaii Inc
- Registered owner
- Kenai Air Of Hawaii Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 5, 1988 · 34 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- LIH · Lihue
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,021 total · 6,051 in this make and model · 7,727 as pilot in command · 291 in the last 90 days · 91 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.