ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134236
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| Date: | Friday 24 August 2001 |
| Time: | 07:15 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | Air Logistics |
| Registration: | N350AL |
| MSN: | 51429 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9429 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce 250-C30 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 6 mi S of Cameron, LA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Cameron, LA (39LA) |
| W. Cameron 149 | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The helicopter was in cruise flight over the Gulf of Mexico when it began to vibrate and shudder. The pilot lowered the collective control to initiate an autorotation and the engine lost power. During the ensuing autorotation, the helicopter's floats were deployed. The pilot attempted to decelerate the helicopter; however, the controls became stiff, and subsequently, the helicopter hit the water hard. Examination of the helicopter's fuel system revealed that the fuel nozzle inlet screen was collapsed and the screen was 80 to 90% contaminated with a brown material with a polymeric-like to varnish-like appearance. The screen was examined by a laboratory, and it was determined that DIEGME, a fuel additive used as an icing inhibitor, was present on the screen. The helicopter's operating environment is such that salt water could have been introduced into the fuel system. The presence of water and fuel would allow bacteria to grow. The combination of bacterial growth, DIEGME, and water resulted in the formation of an "apple-jelly" type material, which then adhered to the fuel system components (fuel nozzle screen). The blockage and collapse of the fuel nozzle screen resulted in an interruption of fuel flow, and the subsequent loss of engine power.
Probable Cause: fuel contamination due to the combination of DIEGME, water, and bacterial growth, which resulted in formation of an apple-jelly type material that blocked the fuel nozzle screen and led to a loss of engine power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010827X01787&key=1
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=350AL
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Aug-2016 23:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Dec-2017 12:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Mar-2018 08:03 | TB | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source] |
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