Incident Overview
The pilot of a helicopter reported a generator failure after departing from Key West, Florida. Despite the failure, the pilot elected to continue the flight to Opa-locka, Florida, making two stops along the way. After passing Ocean Reef, the pilot noted the battery was dead. The helicopter subsequently landed at Watson Island before taking off again en route to Opa-locka.
Power Loss and Hard Landing
Shortly after departure from Watson Island, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a seawall, resulting in a hard landing. The landing gear skids collapsed, and the main rotor severed the tail boom during the event.
Engine Examination
The engine was removed from the helicopter and placed in a test cell, where it was run with no discrepancies noted. The engine functioned normally under test conditions.
Fuel System Investigation
Further investigation revealed that the left forward fuel tank check valve was loose. This allowed air to be sucked into the fuel system, which caused the power loss experienced by the pilot.
Flight Manual Guidance
The emergency procedures section of the Bell 206 L-3 flight manual states that if either of the boost pumps fail or the generator fails, the pilot is to land as soon as practical.