- Date
- August 9, 1989, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bakersfield, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N90296Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890809028339A
- Case key
- 26473
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 loss of engine power due to the helicopter being flown in exhaust gases emanating from a cogeneration plant chimney stack that exceeded the certification standards of the powerplant. Contributing to the accident was invisible nature of the exhaust gases which made the detection of their presence unlikely.
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
The helicopter crew was filming a cogeneration plant. The helicopter orbited the plant three times. During the third orbit, the helicopter passed over the exhaust chimney of the plant which was operating at the time. There was no visible indication that exhaust gases were emanating from the chimney. The gases were reported to be 350 degrees fahrenheit with a 3.6 percent oxygen content. The helicopter turboshaft engine lost power over the center of the chimney. The pilot entered autorotation towards an open area of a parking lot. During the flare, the helicopter struck a vehicle, and landed hard, severed the tailboom, and rolled on to its side. The certification standard for the engine was 120 degrees fahrenheit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90296
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1738
- Airframe hours
- 4,424
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- National Helicopter Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 8, 1989 · 98 hours before
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 55 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.