- Date
- July 13, 1988, 07:45 local (11:45 UTC)
- Place
- Plymouth, MA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N543CCBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880713026519A
- Case key
- 36198
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
A loss of power to the engine because the fuel control was not properly adjusted and collision with terrain due to an unsuitable landing area.
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
Shortly after the helicopter tookoff, the low rotor RPM light came on and the low rotor RPM horn sounded. The pilot responded by lowering the collective and entering into autorotation. At touchdown the left skid collapsed and the main rotor contacted the ground. A post accident examination of the fuel control unit revealed that it was not properly adjusted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N543CC
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3593
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20J, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clean Harbors, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 1988
- Departed
- Carver, MA
- Destination
- PWM · Portland, ME
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- Plymouth Municipal
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
- 40
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,174 total · 265 in this make and model · 2,067 as pilot in command · 208 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 63 °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.