Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rocafuerte Ecuador
Friday, May 25, 2001 22:15 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On May 25, 2001, at 2215 UTC, a Bell 206L-1 single-engine helicopter, Ecuadorian Registration HC-BQP, was destroyed during a forced landing following a reported loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Rocafuerte, in the Republic of Ecuador. The commercial pilot and the loadmaster sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was owned and operated by Aeromasters S.A., of Quito, Ecuador, as an on-demand air taxi commercial flight. The flight, which originated from Coca, Ecuador, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident, was destined to an oil exploration camp known as Nuevo Rocafuerte. The operator reported to the local authorities that the helicopter was transporting two 55-gallon drums of diesel fuel on a 175-foot long sling at an altitude of 1,500 feet above the jungles of the Amazon Basin. The pilot reported that the nose of the helicopter oscillated and he observed fluctuating engine instruments. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Government of the Republic of Ecuador. Any further information may be obtained from: Republic of Ecuador Direccion General de Aviacion Civil (DGAC) Buenos Aires 149 y 10 de Agosto P.O. Box 2077 Quito, Ecuador This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from the Government of the Republic of Ecuador.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2215
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City ROCAFUERTE
Event State --
Event Country ECUADOR
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source DGAC OF ECUADOR
NTSB Notification Date May 29 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1105
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2001 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number WAS01WA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address QUITO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City QUITO
Operator State --
Operator Country EC
Operator Zip code 00000
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City COCA
Departure State --
Departure Country EC
Departure Time 2145
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City ROCAFUERTE
Destination State --
Destination Country EC
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2001 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --