Bell UH-1B N910PD

Summary

On 16 April 1986 at about 19:24 local time, a Bell UH-1B registered N910PD, operated by San Joaquin Helicopter, Inc., was involved in an accident near Chowchilla, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

16 April 1986 at 19:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Chowchilla, California, United States

Coordinates

37.0697, -120.2701

Aircraft

Bell UH-1B

Registration

N910PD

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

San Joaquin Helicopter, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Snelling → Delano

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX86DVA06

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE RETURNING FROM A SPRAYING OPERATION THE PLT OBSERVED THAT THE MAIN TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE GAGE INDICATED ZERO. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE MASTER CAUTION DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND THAT THE OIL TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS NORMAL. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DECIDED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAGE WAS FAULTY AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE TRANSMISSION OIL TEMP GAGE BEGAN TO RISE RAPIDLY.THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE PLT, UNABLE TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM EXECUTED A POWER ON LANDING, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AT IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE OIL COLLER HOUSING GASKET WAS DAMAGED AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL RESERVOIR DID NOT CONTAIN ANY OIL. THE TRANSMISSION OUTER HOUSING AND PLANETARY GEARS EXHIBITED HIGH TEMPERATURE DISTRESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.