Bell 206B N111PM

Summary

On 26 April 1996 at about 13:45 local time, a Bell 206B registered N111PM was involved in an accident near Logan, West Virginia, United States. 3 people were 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.

Date

26 April 1996 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Logan, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.8009, -81.8700

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N111PM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Huntington → Rita

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD96LA067

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the loss of rotor rpm during the autorotation. The downhill sloping terrain was a related factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight at 600 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. He entered an autorotational descent, but was forced to try to extend the glide because of rough, downhill sloping terrain. The rotor RPM decayed, and at touchdown the main rotor flexed down and severed the tail boom. Postaccident inspection revealed '...less than (1) one quart [of fuel] available in fuel cell.' The pilot reported that he had exhausted the helicopter's fuel supply.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.