ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 42687
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| Date: | Sunday 3 April 1994 |
| Time: | 16:36 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | El Aero Services Inc |
| Registration: | N27736 |
| MSN: | 2773 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6781 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lamoille, NV -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | |
| Lamoille, NV | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 3, 1994, approximately 1636 hours Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Bell 206B3 helicopter, N27736, registered to/operated by El Aero Services, Inc., was destroyed during collision with terrain, following a loss of power shortly after takeoff from an intermediate landing site located approximately five nautical miles east of Lamoille, Nevada. The commercial pilot, seated in the right-front seat, was fatally injured, as were the two passengers seated in the center-rear and left-rear seats. The left-front seat passenger, a ski guide, sustained serious injuries, and later expired on April 12, 1994. The passenger seated in the right-rear seat sustained serious injuries. Variable meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed, although company flight following was in effect. The flight, which was engaged in heli-ski operations, was to have been conducted in accordance with 14CFR135. The aircraft, and a sister Bell 206L3, N3185A, being flown by the Director of Operations for El Aero, had been carrying skiers into the Ruby Mountains during the day.
THE HELICOPTER (HEL) WAS LANDED AT A REMOTE SITE DUE TO POOR WEATHER. AFTER LANDING, SNOW FELL & ACCUMULATED ON THE AIRFRAME. NO EXTERNAL ENGINE SNOW COVERS WERE AVAILABLE. THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM HAD SNOW BAFFLES & PARTICLE SEPARATORS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN (OPTIONAL) AUTO RE-LIGHT IGNITION SYSTEM. THE PLENUM AT THE ENGINE INTAKE WAS INACCESSIBLE TO THE PILOT FOR REMOVAL OF ANY SNOW THAT MAY HAVE ACCUMULATED. ABOUT 1 HR AFTER LANDING, HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE & RAN IT ABOUT 15 TO 20 MIN. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR, HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN & RAN IT ABOUT 5 MIN. AFTER DISCUSSING SITUATION WITH DIR OF OPS BY RADIO, HE THEN TOOK OFF WITH A GROSS WEIGHT & DENSITY ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 2940 LBS & 7000', RESPECTIVELY. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING AN AUTOROTATION, THE HEL IMPACTED ON A 30 DEG SLOPE & ROLLED OVER. THE FLIGHT MANUAL (F/M) SHOWED THAT AT 2940 LBS, THE MAXIMUM DENSITY ALTITUDE FOR A SAFE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS 2500'. THE F/M LIMITED HOVER FLIGHT IN FALLING AND/OR BLOWING SNOW TO A DURATION OF 20 MIN, AFTER WHICH THE HEL MUST BE LANDED & CHECKED FOR SNOW AND/OR ICE ACCUMULATION. HOWEVER, GROUND OPERATION IN THESE CONDITIONS WAS NOT ADDRESSED. TESTS OF SNOW/ICE INGESTION IN AN EARLIER MODEL OF THE SAME ENGINE (ALLISON 250-C18) RESULTED IN FLAMEOUTS WITH SLUGS OF SNOW THAT WERE AS LITTLE AS 30 GRAMS.
Probable Cause: THE INGESTION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL (SNOW) IN THE ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN A FLAMEOUT (LOSS OF ENGINE POWER). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (SNOW FALLING & HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE), THE LACK OF SNOW COVERS TO PROTECT THE ENGINE INTAKES WHILE PARKED AND AWAITING FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE, IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, INADEQUATE INFORMATION IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001206X01169
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 12-Oct-2022 03:02 | Captain Adam | Updated [Operator, Nature, Destination airport, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
| 12-Oct-2022 03:03 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo] |
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