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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

February 12, 1992 · Bell 206L-3 · N99TV

Fort Collins, CO

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 12, 1992
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Location
Fort Collins, CO
Aircraft
Bell 206L-3
Tail Number
N99TV
Operator
Kusa Television
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DEN92FA034

The helicopter was being flown to a maintenance facility to correct a 'rotor vibration' that had been detected by the pilot. While in cruise flight over a reservoir, a loss of engine power occurred, when the #2-1/2 bearing failed due to oil starvation. The oil starvation resulted from an obstruction in the bearing oil feed tube by a particle of foreign material. There was evidence the material was introduced into the system during overhaul, about 9 flight hours before the accident. The pilot made an autorotation through dense fog to the surface of the reservoir, which contained patches of ice. The helicopter sank in 190 ft of water. Water temperature was 30 deg F, air temperature was 34 deg, and wind was 170 deg at 8 kts. According to available information, useful conscious time under these conditions would have been about 15 min. The first rescue personnel reached the pilot approximately 45 min following the accident. The pilot was the only person on the surface at that time.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2-1/2 BEARING DUE TO AN OBSTRUCTION OF A BEARING OIL FEED TUBE BY FOREIGN MATERIAL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER MAINTENANCE DURING ENGINE OVERHAUL, AND WEATHER/TERRAIN/WATER CONDITIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Full Narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING FLOWN TO A MAINTENANCE FACILITY TO CORRECT A 'ROTOR VIBRATION' THAT HAD BEEN DETECTED BY THE PILOT. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER A RESERVOIR, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED, WHEN THE #2-1/2 BEARING FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION. THE OIL STARVATION RESULTED FROM AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE BEARING OIL FEED TUBE BY A PARTICLE OF FOREIGN MATERIAL. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE MATERIAL WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE SYSTEM DURING OVERHAUL, ABOUT 9 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION THROUGH DENSE FOG TO THE SURFACE OF THE RESERVOIR, WHICH CONTAINED PATCHES OF ICE. THE HELICOPTER SANK IN 190 FT OF WATER. WATER TEMPERATURE WAS 30 DEG F, AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 34 DEG, AND WIND WAS 170 DEG AT 8 KTS. ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE INFORMATION, USEFUL CONSCIOUS TIME UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 15 MIN. THE FIRST RESCUE PERSONNEL REACHED THE PILOT APPROXIMATELY 45 MIN FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON THE SURFACE AT THAT TIME.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:40 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell 206L-3
Tail NumberN99TV
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorKusa Television
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsAllison · 250-C30P · Turboshaft · 650
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Fatal2
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 47 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind170° @ 8 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point34 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data