Bell 206L3 N35CH

Summary

On 27 May 1997 at about 18:10 local time, a Bell 206L3 registered N35CH was involved in an accident near Boise, Idaho, United States. 3 people were 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.

Date

27 May 1997 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Boise, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Gowen Field (BOI)

Coordinates

43.5599, -116.2110

Aircraft

Bell 206L3

Registration

N35CH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97FA149

Nobody was injured.

the improper torque meter installation by maintenance personnel, attempting flight with known discrepancies by the pilot-in-command and the check airman, and an improper autorotation by the pilot-in-command with improper oversight of the autorotation maneuver by the check airman.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was executing an autorotation maneuver for a FAR Part 135 flight check. This autorotation maneuver was to be a 180-degree reversal autorotation to a predetermined spot landing with a power termination. The pilot executed the maneuver, but during the level-off received a low RPM warning horn, and attempted to recover using power. During the attempt to increase power the helicopter's throttle interfered with a nut which had been installed for an external torque meter approximately one week before the accident. The nut on the torque meter installation interfered with the throttle controls in certain positions only. A discrepancy with the helicopter's throttle was noticed by the pilot-in-command, and reported to the FAA examiner before the beginning of the flight check.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.