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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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December 10, 1987 · Bell 206L-3 · N86CH

Little Rock, AR

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
December 10, 1987
Location
Little Rock, AR
Aircraft
Bell 206L-3
Tail Number
N86CH
Operator
Central Flying Service
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
MKC88IA025

An EMS helo was consumed in a fire while parked at a hospital heliport. The helo had recently returned from a medevac flight and the on-board patient oxygen pressure was low. Two respiratory therapists participated in refilling the system after the flight. The system is serviced via a rear baggage compartment, accessed from outside the aircraft. The attendants indicated that after the connection was made and the valve was partially opened, a fire erupted near the connection. Subsequent to the fire, one of the therapists remembered the presence of oil above the baggage door. This area of oil was not wiped clean prior to commencing the fill operation. Subsequent to the fire, the valve was tested and significant leaking at the connection was present. After the test a wrench was needed to separate the components for inspection. The inspection provided no evidence of debris or distortion of the threaded portion of the connection. There was no intent for flight in this particular operation and no flight crew was present.

Full Narrative

AN EMS HELO WAS CONSUMED IN A FIRE WHILE PARKED AT A HOSPITAL HELIPORT. THE HELO HAD RECENTLY RETURNED FM A MEDEVAC FLT AND THE ON-BOARD PATIENT OXYGEN PRESSURE WAS LOW. TWO RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS PARTICIPATED IN REFILLING THE SYSTEM AFTER THE FLT. THE SYSTEM IS SERVICED VIA A REAR BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT, ACCESSED FM OUTSIDE THE ACFT. THE ATTENDANTS INDICATED THAT AFTER THE CONNECTION WAS MADE AND THE VALVE WAS PARTIALLY OPENED, A FIRE ERUPTED NEAR THE CONNECTION. SUBSEQUENT TO THE FIRE, ONE OF THE THERAPISTS REMEMBERED THE PRESENCE OF OIL ABV THE BAGGAGE DOOR. THIS AREA OF OIL WAS NOT WIPED CLEAN PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE FILL OPERATION. SUBSEQUENT TO THE FIRE, THE VALVE WAS TESTED AND SIGNIFICANT LEAKING AT THE CONNECTION WAS PRESENT. AFTER THE TEST A WRENCH WAS NEEDED TO SEPARATE THE COMPONENTS FOR INSPN. THE INSPN PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF DEBRIS OR DISTORTIOON OF THE THREADED PORTION OF THE CONNECTION. THERE WAS NO INTENT FOR FLIGHT IN THIS PARTICULAR OPERATION AND NO FLT CREW WAS PRESENT.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time09:30 CST
Nearest AirportChildrens Hosp Heliport (0nm N)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledUnknown
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBell 206L-3
Tail NumberN86CH
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageDestroyed
OperatorCentral Flying Service
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsAllison · 250-C30P · Turboshaft · 650
Seats3

People & Injuries

Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total0
Crew 1Unknown

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0

Appendix: Source Data