Bell 206B N16962
14 July 1991 · Freeport, Texas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 14 July 1991 at about 19:05 local time, a Bell 206B registered N16962, operated by Houston Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Freeport, Texas, United States. One person was 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 19:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Freeport, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 28.9497, -95.3608
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B
- Registration
- N16962
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Houston Helicopters, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Ferry
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pearland → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW91LA121
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM DURING THE AUTOROTATION. FACTORS WERE THE FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE READ 74 GALLONS DURING HIS PRE FLIGHT INSPECTION AND THAT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WHEN HE WAS ABOUT HALF WAY TO HIS DESTINATION, IT WAS READING 24 GALLONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION THE BOOST PUMP LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE GAUGE WAS READING 5 GALLONS. HE STATED THAT AT THAT POINT HE DECIDED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND FIND THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE HE COULD LAND AND HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION. DURING THE DESCENT THE PILOT NOTICED THAT HE WAS GOING TO HIT A BUSH AND HE EXTENDED HIS GLIDE OVER THE BUSH. AS A RESULT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL DURING THE PRE FLIGHT AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE DEPARTED ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. ALL OF THE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE FUEL GAUGE WERE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 206 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jul 1991 | Bell 206L-1 | Lake Alpine, California, United States | Rogers Helicopters Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Nov 1991 | Bell 206BIII | Davis, California, United States | Aris Helicopter Ltd | Fatal | 3 |
| 16 Feb 1991 | Bell 206-B | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Mar 1991 | Bell 206B | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Kenai Air of Hawaii, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 1991 | Bell 206B-3 | Houston, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 27 Jan 1991 | Bell 206L-1 | S Tim Blk 198 | Evergreen Equity, Inc | Fatal | 2 |
All 1,732 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft BE-19 | Mesquite, Texas, United States | ARI BEN Aviator | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | Dfw Airport, Texas, United States | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Robinson R22 BETA | Wylie, Texas, United States | Heli TEX Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 150A | Jewett, Texas, United States | Jack R. Horan | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1991 | Beechcraft K35 | Laredo, Texas, United States | DAN R. Blaker | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 172F | Cumby, Texas, United States | Charles D. Wood | No injuries | - |