Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quincy, California 95971
Wednesday, July 25, 1990 14:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A HELICOPTER AERIAL SURVEY AND WAS CRUISING AT 400 FT AGL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHEN THE ENGINE, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, SUSTAINED A FLAME OUT. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION AND WAS ABLE TO FIND A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. ON FINAL APPROACH HE OBSERVED A STEEL CABLE TRAVERSING THE LANDING SITE DIRECTLY IN THE HELICOPTER'S FLIGHT PATH. HE WAS ABLE TO FLY OVER THE CABLE BUT IN DOING SO THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT OPERATE AT GOVERNOR POWER LEVEL ANGLES OF LESS THAN 50 DEG. AFTER BENCH TESTING THE POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR IT OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN PLACED ON THE ENGINE. TEST ENGINEERS REPORTED THAT THIS CONDITIONS, IN ALL PROBABILITY, INDICATES A CONTAMINATE LODGED IN THE POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR. IT WAS DISCLODGED DURING THE BENCH TEST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN UNIDENTIFIED CONTAMINATE LODGED IN THE FUEL GOVERNOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City QUINCY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95971
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2337
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44579
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2292W
NTSB Number LAX90FA268
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 505
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 8234
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGERS HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4
Aircraft Owner City CLOVIS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code CUCA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City STORRIE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --