Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Apache Junction, Arizona 85220
Thursday, October 7, 1999 10:15 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While in cruise flight about 600 feet agl, the pilot noticed that the engine oil pressure was high and the torque gauge was exceeding the high limits. The engine chip light became illuminated. As the pilot descended to make an immediate landing, the engine quit about 75 to 100 feet agl. The pilot autorotated to the ground. The main rotor blades severed the tail cone aft of the horizontal stabilizer after the toe of the left skid became entangled in a large bush and separated. A teardown examination of the engine was conducted. The mechanic reported that the Nos. 6 and 7 bearings displayed evidence of heat distress and oil starvation. When he blew through the oil jet for the Nos. 6 and 7 bearings, he heard something pop out. He opined that it might have been a piece of carbon, which could have prevented the flow of oil into the turbine. He stated that all other components of the lubrication system were intact and functional. No other discrepancies were found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Oil starvation and seizure of the engines Nos. 6 and 7 bearings due to a clogged oil jet, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/7/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | APACHE JUNCTION |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85220 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 956 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 260 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1135 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 23 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1936 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 20 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1110 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6624N |
| NTSB Number | LAX00LA055 |
| 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 | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 206B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3169 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 31 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 93 |
| Airframe Hours | 6335 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BELL FORD, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2401 W. BELL ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | PHOENIX |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85023 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | ARIZONA HELISERVICES INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1432 N. SPIRE COURT |
| Operator City | CHANDLER |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 85224 |
| Operator Code | A6ZA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | External Load |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | P33 |
| Departure City | WILLCOX |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 905 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FFZ |
| Destination City | MESA |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2001 8:43AM |
| 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 | -- |