Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601
Sunday, June 21, 1992 9:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING HIS HELICOPTER AT A SLOW AIRSPEED AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 FEET AGL WHEN A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS LOW AND A HARD LANDING OCCURRED. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD STRIKING THE TAILBOOM WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED ORGANIC MATTER HAD CONTAMINATED THE FUEL SUPPLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM. A FACTOR WAS THE CONTAMINATED FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PONCA CITY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74601
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID PNC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1007
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2415
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 22 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 918
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47127
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66LR
NTSB Number FTW92LA166
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51538
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 13 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 195
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETROLEUM INVESTORS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 101
Aircraft Owner City GRASS RANGE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59032
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETROLEUM INVESTORS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 101
Operator City GRASS RANGE
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59032
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --