Bell OH-58A N487BC

Summary

On 29 March 2002 at about 01:31 local time, a Bell OH-58A registered N487BC was involved in an accident near Chico, California, United States. 2 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

29 March 2002 at 01:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Chico, California, United States

Coordinates

39.7953, -121.8586

Aircraft

Bell OH-58A

Registration

N487BC

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chico → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX02TA118

Nobody was injured.

the loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. Factors in the accident were the pilot's misjudged flare resulting in a hard landing and the lack of recent experience in emergency procedures by the pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route to the helicopter base, the pilot detected a left yaw, followed by a low main rotor speed warning. After he lowered the collective, the main rotor light went out. He glanced at the N1 gage (gas producer tachometer) and noted it at 70 percent and decreasing. No other warning lights were visible on the caution panel. An autorotation was performed to a field and the helicopter touched down hard. During the landing, the main rotor flexed downward and severed the tail boom. The engine was running at idle after the landing and the pilot performed a manual shutdown. An engine examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact failures. The operator reported that pilots were trained annually on emergency procedures through oral and flight testing. It had been over a year since the pilot's last emergency training. Department pilots were not allowed to practice autorotations without the Chief Pilot on board, or prior written approval. The pilot had not practiced an autorotation in over 1 year prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.