Bell 206B N90329

Summary

On 13 March 1983 at about 08:30 local time, a Bell 206B registered N90329, operated by Thunderbird Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Escalon, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 March 1983 at 08:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Escalon, California, United States

Coordinates

37.8303, -121.0305

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N90329

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Thunderbird Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX83FVD06

3 people had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A SMALL TREE ABOUT 8 FT HIGH DURING A FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT AFTER A POWER LOSS. THE COLLISION BROKE THE TAIL BOOM AND A HARD LANDING CAUSED THE FAILURE OF A LANDING SKID AND DAMAGED THE MAIN ROTOR. THE PLT HAD TAKEN TWO FRIENDS FOR A NIGHT FLT AND AFTER A SHORT FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWED. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION THE FUEL IN THE ACFT WAS FOUND TO BE DIRTY. BECAUSE OF A FUEL BYPASS THAT PERMITSCONTINOUS FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE BYPASSING THE MAIN FUEL FILTER FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A CRITICAL FACTOR IN THIS INSTANCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.