# NTSB MIA86IA250: Bell 206L-3, N111GF, Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), September 20, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 20, 1986, 15:03 local (19:03 UTC)
- Place: Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 31529
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA86IA250
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31529/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA86IA250

## 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 - normal
  - fluid,fuel - contamination (cause)
  - fuel system,filter - blocked(total) (cause)
- Ditching, descent - emergency

## Analysis

THE HELICOPTER DITCHED IN THE OCEAN AFTER SUSTAINING A FLAMEOUT. AFTER THE HELICOPTER WAS TOWED ASHORE ON ITS FLOATS THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN AT LEAST 4 GALS OF FUEL. INFO CONTAINED IN HELICOPTER MANUAL REVEALED ALL FUEL WAS USABLE EXCEPT ABOUT 1 GAL; THEREFORE FUEL EXHASTION WAS NOT IN EVIDENCE. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED FOREIGN MATTER. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL TRUCK THAT REFUELED THE HELICOPTER AND THE FUEL TANK STORAGE FARM WHERE TRUCK OBTAINED ITS FUEL REVEALED FOREIGN MATTER OF SIMILAR APPEARANCE. A LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE FUEL SAMPLES FROM THE HELICOPTER AND REFUELING SOURCE REVEALED THAT THEY WERE CHEMICALLY THE SAME.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N111GF (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L-3
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 45748
- Airframe hours: 651
- Engines: ALLISON 250-C28B 650 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Miami Helicopter Serv.Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 3, 1986, 9 hours before
- Departed: NONE, N.BIMINI IS., OF
- Destination: FLL, FT.LAUDERDALE, FL
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; flight instructor, commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 3,832 total, 610 in this make and model, 3,607 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: FLL, 13 nm away

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.

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