Bell OH-58C N505JA

Summary

On 19 March 1998 at about 23:30 local time, a Bell OH-58C registered N505JA was involved in an accident near Dulce, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 March 1998 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Dulce, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

36.9294, -106.9895

Aircraft

Bell OH-58C

Registration

N505JA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Dulce

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98TA152

1 person was seriously injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to a disconnected bleed air line to the fuel controller and the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. Factors were the loose B-nut, the inadequate maintenance by unknown personnel, insufficient standards/requirements for the use of torque paint, and the high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the helicopter for a flight from a 9,060 foot elevation. On departure, the pilot remembered the helicopter yawing nose left, and the passenger stated that the engine became quiet and the helicopter vibration seemed to stop. The pilot autorotated to the steep sloping vegetated terrain. Postimpact inspection of the engine fuel controller revealed that the PC line had disconnected from the fuel controller. The helicopter received its last annual inspection on September 18, 1997, 93 flight hours prior to the accident. The pilot reported that he had observed a Jicarilla tribal member changing navigation light bulbs on the helicopter; the same individual expressed further interest in performing maintenance on the helicopter. The maintenance organization that performed the last annual inspection did not use torque paint on the PC line B-nut, which is required by the engine manufacturer but not mandated by FARs. The pilot reported that 'because of the location of the PC line connection to the fuel controller, it would be difficult, during a normal preflight inspection, to determine if the PC line B-nut was properly torqued or if it was loose.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.