Bell 206 N19TV

Summary

On 9 September 2019 at about 17:30 local time, a Bell 206 registered N19TV, operated by Crosswind Aviation Services LLC, was involved in an accident near Walkerton, Indiana, 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.

Date

9 September 2019 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Walkerton, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

41.5050, -86.5156

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N19TV

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Crosswind Aviation Services LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19LA309

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While performing an aerial application flight, the helicopter experienced a partial loss of engine power when the pilot advanced engine power to reverse course. The helicopter was substantially damaged during the forced landing when it contacted trees and landed hard. A postaccident examination of the helicopter’s engine found evidence of fuel contamination due to water and a non-ferrous material in the engine driven fuel pump/filter, fuel control unit, and fuel nozzle. The fuel control unit operated outside of acceptable limits during postaccident testing. The airframe was stored outside and subjected to the elements after the accident; however, the location of the water and debris in the engine were in areas where contamination from the elements cannot normally collect. It could not be determined when the contamination occurred or whether it originated within the company’s fuel truck tank or within the helicopter’s fuel tank.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.