Aerospatiale SA315 N17285
7 September 2010 · Winters, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 7 September 2010 at about 14:00 local time, a Aerospatiale SA315 registered N17285, operated by Precision Helicopter, was involved in an accident near Winters, California, 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 14:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Winters, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- PVT Helipad (PVT)
- Coordinates
- 38.5419, -121.9278
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA315
- Registration
- N17285
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Precision Helicopter
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Winters → Winters
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10LA452
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that, after takeoff and about 200 feet above ground level, the engine decelerated to an idle power setting. The pilot initiated an autorotation, but, due to the low height above the ground, the helicopter landed hard. During the postaccident engine examination, the fuel pump and fuel governor were removed and placed on a test bench for an operational check. Both the fuel pump and governor performed within normal parameters. Further examination found non-metallic particles within the fuel filter; however, their presence would not have reduced the fuel flow and contributed to the engine deceleration event. An examination of the remaining engine components and airframe systems revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would preclude normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerospatiale SA315 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1987 | Aerospatiale SA315-D LAMA | Siletz, Oregon, United States | Rocky Mountain Helicopters | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2010 | Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B | Courtland, California, United States | Walter Avery | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 2010 | Cessna 172P | Camarillo Airport, California, United States | Channel Islands Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 2010 | Piper PA-30 | Merced, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Robinson R22 BETA | Long Beach, California, United States | Temco Sky Networks | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Rans COYOTE II S6 | Lincoln, California, United States | Michael S. Gorden | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Boeing A75N1(PT17) | Palm Springs, California, United States | Kent Thomas | No injuries | - |