Pilot Debrief

BELL 206 near Pahokee, FL — 2021-02-04

Final reportERA21LA126
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Date
2021-02-04
Location
Pahokee, FL, USA
Aircraft
BELL 206
Registration
N820H
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

A loss of main rotor rpm for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in an autorotation and a subsequent hard landing and rollover.

NTSB narrative

The pilot had been performing low-altitude agricultural operations for about two hours when he heard an aural “chirp” with no associated caution panel lights. After scanning the instruments, he observed nothing abnormal, then immediately the low rotor rpm horn sounded, and the helicopter started to lose altitude as the rotor speed decayed. He briefly observed a red engine light on the instrument panel, and initiated an autorotation from an altitude about 50 ft above the ground and airspeed of about 35 knots. The helicopter landed hard on uneven terrain and rolled over; a post-crash fire ensued. The pilot and passenger egressed without injury. Although examination of the engine and its recovered components revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical anomalies, the extent of the impact and thermal damage precluded a thorough examination, and the reason for the loss of rotor rpm could not be determined based on the available information.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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