Accident Details
A Bell 206B helicopter collided with a berm after experiencing an engine failure during departure from a helipad at night. The pilot reported that the engine failed at approximately 50 feet above ground level (AGL) shortly after lift-off. During the forced landing, the helicopter's vertical fin struck the berm, causing the tail boom to bend aft of the horizontal stabilizer into the path of the main rotor. The main rotor subsequently severed the tail boom. The helicopter then rotated 90 degrees and came to rest upright, with no additional damage reported.
Engine Examination
Following the accident, a teardown inspection of the engine was conducted. Examination revealed no evidence of material failure or mechanical malfunction. Fuel was found present in the fuel control and fuel pump. Inspection of the fuel pump filter and high-pressure fuel filter showed no contaminants or water in the system. The fuel pump, governor, and fuel control were bench tested in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and all three components met the manufacturer's performance criteria.