Bell 206B N5004L
5 April 1989 · West Cameron · No injuries
Summary
On 5 April 1989 at about 18:27 local time, a Bell 206B registered N5004L, operated by Industrial Helicopters, was involved in an accident near West Cameron. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:27
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- West Cameron
- Nearest airport
- West Cameron, Blk 266 (WC26)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B
- Registration
- N5004L
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Industrial Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW89FA075
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND FUEL CONTAMINATION, WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. RELATED FACTORS WERE: A BINDING (STUCK) FUEL FILTER CAP BYPASS VALVE AND PARTIAL FAILURE (INTERMITTENT OPERATION) OF THE RESPECTIVE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT SYSTEM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE HELICOPTER HAD SVRL INFLT ENG DECELERATIONS THAT MAINTENANCE EFFORTS DID NOT ISOLATE. AFTER REPLACING THE ENG FUEL CONTROLLER, A TEST FLT WAS MADE (FROM AN OIL DRILLING PLATFORM). DRG THE FLT, THE ENG SURGED, THEN DECELERATED. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE HELIPAD. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE PLATFORM, SHORT OF THE HELIPAD, RATHER THAN ACCEPT SEA CONDS OF 8 FT WAVES. DRG THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED FUEL CONTAMINATION HAD OCCURRED. CONTAMINATION HAD BYPASSED FILTERS IN THE FUEL SYS & HAD CLOGGED & COLLAPSED THE ENG FUEL NOZZLE SCREEN. THE AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER CAP BYPASS VLV WAS FND STUCK OPEN IN THE BYPASS MODE. A PIN (CONNECTED TO THE FUEL FILTER CAP IMPENDING BYPASS TEST BUTTON) WAS FND BENT, HOLDING THE BYPASS VLV OPEN. AN OPEN BYPASS VLV SHOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED A RESPECTIVE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT IN THE COCKPIT; HOWEVER, WHEN CHECKED, THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT OPERD ONLY INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A FAULTYCOMPONENT IN THE SYS. DRG TESTS, THE CLOGGED/COLLAPSED FUEL SCREEN PREVENTED SUFFICIENT FUEL FLOW TO SUSTAIN ENG POWER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 206 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 1989 | Bell 206B III | Park City, Utah, United States | Avman Inc | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Bell 206L | Abbeville, Louisiana, United States | Taylor Energy Vthe | No injuries | - |
| 10 Aug 1989 | Bell 206B | Nanuet, New York, United States | Eagle Helicopter | No injuries | - |
| 2 Nov 1989 | Bell 206L-3 | Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | Air Methods, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1989 | Bell 206B | Oak Grove, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 1989 | Bell 206L-1 | Chiefland, Florida, United States | Kenn Aire Medical Corp. | No injuries | - |