Bell 206L-1 N5745Y

Summary

On 9 September 2012 at about 18:52 local time, a Bell 206L-1 registered N5745Y, operated by Papillon Airways Inc, was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. 2 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

9 September 2012 at 18:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Canyon National Park (GCN)

Coordinates

35.8019, -112.0681

Aircraft

Bell 206L-1

Registration

N5745Y

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Papillon Airways Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Canyon → Grand Canyon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA408

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during descent for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident engine examinations and testing revealed no evidence of an anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a maintenance release flight, he entered a simulated autorotation to check the main rotor rpm. When the pilot retarded the throttle, the engine lost power. The pilot subsequently conducted an off-airport landing. During the landing, the main rotor blade struck the tailboom, which then separated from the airframe. During postaccident engine test runs in both the airframe and a test cell, the engine ran normally. Postaccident engine examinations revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.