- Date
- March 31, 1992, 15:10 local (Apr 1, 1992, 01:10 UTC)
- Place
- Kaaawa, HI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3200NBell 206BIII
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920331007829A
- Case key
- 27588
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
An engine flame out due to the pilot's intentional flight through an irrigation sprinkler system water stream in order to wash the helicopter.
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 pilot said that after concluding the daily tour contract with the helicopter it was to be parked at a hangar near the accident site. Enroute to the hangar the helicopter was intentionally flown near a farm irrigation sprinkler system in an attempt to wash off the accumulated dirt. After the second pass through the water stream, the engine out warning light and audio warning was activated and the engine quit. The helicopter landed hard during the subsequent auto rotation to an unimproved dirt road.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3200N
- Reported as
- Bell 206BIII
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3812
- Airframe hours
- 2,891
- Engine
- Allison 250C-20J, 417 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Hawaii Intl Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Pacific Logistics Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 2, 2000 · 28 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 801 total · 216 in this make and model · 545 as pilot in command · 243 in the last 90 days · 83 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.