Bell 206B C-GMLS

Summary

On 25 July 2002 at about 15:10 local time, a Bell 206B registered C-GMLS was involved in an accident near Newfield, New York, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 July 2002 at 15:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Newfield, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.3400, -76.5483

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

C-GMLS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Non-U.S., Commercial

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newfield → Newfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02LA147

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to verify the amount of fuel onboard prior to departure, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, and subsequent hard landing. A factor was the lack of a suitable landing area under the helicopter when the power loss occurred.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The Bell 206B was involved in long line operations when the engine lost power. The pilot was operating over a wooded area at 20 mph, transitioning between two pickup areas located about 1,000 feet apart, with no suitable landing area nearby. The pilot stretched his glide to reach a suitable landing area, during which time, the main rotor rpm decayed. Touchdown was hard and the forward skid tube was spread while the rear skid tube penetrated the fuel tank. There was evidence of a limited fuel spill at the accident site. The pilot was operating with an intermittent fuel quantity measuring system, and dipping the tanks with a stick to determine fuel quantity. The helicopter was not equipped with a low fuel quantity light. According to Bell helicopters, use of a dip stick to measure fuel quantity is not an approved procedure. The operator reported that he had not received authority from Transport Canada, to operate with an inoperative fuel gauge, or to dip the tanks to determine fuel quantity. Refueling had been accomplished using an electric fuel pump powered by a battery installed in a truck.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.