Bell BHT-206L-1 accident near Highland, CA
On July 7, 1997, a Bell BHT-206L-1 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Highland, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 7, 1997
- Place
- Highland, CA
- Aircraft
- Bell BHT-206L-1 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.130°N, 117.151°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08415
Official records · LAX97GA235
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 6, 1997, about 1703 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell BHT-206L-1, N27591, operating with the call sign H-520, crashed in the San Bernardino mountains north of Highland, California. The pilot was conducting water dropping operations as part of an ongoing forest fire fighting effort. The aircraft was destroyed and the commercial rated helicopter pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The aircraft was being operated by the USDA Forest Service under contract as an exclusive public-use aircraft when the accident occurred. The flight originated about 1630 from the Patton Helibase in Highland, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed with localized smoke in the fire areas. No flight plan was filed. About 1630 all helicopters on station were directed to begin dropping water on the Hemlock fire that had just jumped across a fire line. A battalion fire chief, onboard Air Attack 310, was directing the effort. The chief reported that he saw H-527 and H-520 making water drops on a slope in Division B at 1703. The drops involved an abrupt pull up and turn after the water was released from the bucket. As the two aircraft were departing the area, he heard the words "May Day," "I have a flame out" and finally "I'm going down". He then observed H-520 impact the bottom of the canyon. He stated that it appeared to him as if the aircraft's main rotor struck the west canyon wall before the aircraft came to rest. After making a water drop, the pilot of H-527 was heading back to the water point when he saw H-520 heading toward the fire area. A
Probable cause
Loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. Also causal was the ingestion of entrapped air that occurred during an abrupt maneuver and fuel-borne contamination that caused the fuel system check valves to leak, resulted in a lower than expected fuel level in the main fuel cell. A related factor was mountainous terrain.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
