Bell OH 58A N519P
13 March 2019 · Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 March 2019 at about 21:55 local time, a Bell OH 58A registered N519P, operated by St Johns County Sheriffs Office, was involved in an accident near Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 21:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 30.2061, -81.4033
- Aircraft
- Bell OH 58A
- Registration
- N519P
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 1973
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- St Johns County Sheriffs Office
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ponte Vedra Bch → St Augustine
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA19LA126
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to the introduction of air into fuel lines and an interruption of fuel flow to the engine.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During the third aerial surveillance flight of the day, about 5 minutes after takeoff while orbiting at an altitude of 1,100 ft mean sea level, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a fairway on a golf course. During the landing, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and the fuselage frame around the windscreen. An initial postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that air was present in the fuel lines, which likely led to an interruption in fuel flow to the engine and the loss of engine power. Additional examination confirmed continuity of the fuel system. The engine was subsequently run in the manufacturer’s test cell facility and met all performance standards with no anomalies noted. Given the postaccident findings and that the helicopter departed with the fuel tank about 3/4 full, the investigation was unable to determine how or where air was introduced into the fuel lines.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell OH-58A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 2019 | Bell OH 58A | Fort Meade, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 2019 | Bell OH 58A | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | Omaha Police Department | No injuries | - |
| 24 Sep 2018 | Bell OH 58A | Juana Diaz, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 2020 | Bell OH 58A | Colexico, California, United States | A Farmer Service Corp | No injuries | - |
| 20 May 2020 | Bell OH-58A | West Branch, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Oct 2018 | Bell OH 58A | Carson City, Nevada, United States | Washoe County Sheriffs Office | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 2019 | Piper PA28 | Miami, Florida, United States | Osorio Aviation Corp | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2019 | Beechcraft 35 | Fort Myers, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Nov 2019 | Bushby BUSHBY MUSTANG M II | Milton, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Nov 2019 | Beechcraft E35 | Okeechobee, Florida, United States | Spaceport Aviation | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Sep 2019 | Van's RV 6 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 2019 | Cessna 152 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | American Flight Training LLC | No injuries | - |