Pilot Debrief

BELL 206 near Gulf of Mexico, LA — 2010-07-26

Final reportCEN10IA438
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Date
2010-07-26
Location
Gulf of Mexico, LA, USA
Airport
NONE
Aircraft
BELL 206
Registration
N317RL
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The loss of main rotor rpm during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies.

NTSB narrative

During takeoff from an offshore oil platform, the pilot reported a loss of main rotor rpm. The pilot activated the emergency float system and initiated an autorotation to the water. Upon touchdown, the engine was still operating. The pilot shut down the engine and prepared the passengers to evacuate. All three occupants safely evacuated the helicopter (which was upright on its skid-mounted float system) and boarded the emergency life raft that the pilot had inflated. The helicopter remained upright floating on the water and was later recovered and transported to the operator’s on-shore maintenance facility. The operator did immediate fuel quality tests at the facility where the helicopter had most recently been refueled and found no problems. An examination of the helicopter drive systems and a test run of the engine did not reveal any preincident anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the main rotor system. The cause of the loss of main rotor rpm could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff upon hearing loud banging noise.

NTSB coding

  • Miscellaneous/other · Takeoff

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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