Bell 412 N412LA

Summary

On 17 August 2015 at about 02:11 local time, a Bell 412 registered N412LA, operated by County of Los Angeles Fire Department, was involved in an accident near Whittier, California, United States. 3 people were 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

17 August 2015 at 02:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Whittier, California, United States

Coordinates

34.0056, -118.0511

Aircraft

Bell 412

Registration

N412LA

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1981

Engines

2

Operator

County of Los Angeles Fire Department

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Fire Fighting

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pacoima → Whittier

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA230

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to appropriately monitor the helicopter's fuel supply, resulting in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and an autorotation with a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot of the public use, multi-engine helicopter, he performed an autorotation and landing after exhausting the helicopter's fuel supply in flight. The pilot reported that while acting as the Helicopter Commander during a brush fire containment mission, the complexities involved with managing the fire increased and as a result, the pilot stated, "I failed to re-adjust my station time appropriately for my aircraft." He reported that both engines lost power and he executed an autorotation and touchdown onto down sloping terrain. Upon impact with the ground, the main rotor blades flexed down and severed the tail boom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom, the main rotor and tail rotor blades, the main rotor drive system and the primary flight controls. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.