Helio HT-295 N68871

Summary

On 10 March 1988 at about 18:45 local time, a Helio HT-295 registered N68871, operated by Willow Springs Ranch, was involved in an accident near Oracle, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 1988 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Oracle, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.6394, -110.8398

Aircraft

Helio HT-295

Registration

N68871

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Willow Springs Ranch

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oracle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88LA123

Nobody was injured.

ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A CATTLE SURVEY AND WAS RETURNING TO THE RANCH AIRSTRIP WHEN HE ADDED POWER TO CLIMB BACK TO PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE ADDED THROTTLE HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE ENGINE POWER OUTPUT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE LIMITED POWER; HOWEVER, THE POWER LEVEL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE GROUND, TRAVELING UPSLOPE ON A HILL, AND HIT SEVERAL SMALL TREES WHICH SHEARED OFF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED AND COULD NOT BE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. NO INTERNAL ABNORMALITY WAS NOTED ON THE ENGINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.