On March 4, 2002, a Bell 206L-3 (registration N227H) operated by Action Helicopter Service was involved in an aviation accident near Tulsa, OK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter lost engine power 300 yards short of its helipad. During autorotation, the pilot avoided a vehicle but struck tree branches at 10 ft AGL, resulting in a hard landing and tail boom severance. The cause of the power loss was not determined.
Accident Details
A local flight en route to the company helipad for fuel experienced a loss of engine power approximately 300 yards from the helipad. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a road and had to execute an evasive maneuver to avoid a vehicle. At an altitude of 10 feet above ground level, the main rotor blades struck tree branches measuring 1.5 inches in diameter.
Sequence of Events
Following the blade strike, main rotor RPM decreased. The helicopter then landed hard on the road, and the main rotor blades contacted and severed the tail boom. The pilot estimated that 300 pounds of fuel was on board at the time of the accident.
Post-Accident Inspection
During inspection, the engine was started and test run to idle speed, and no anomalies were noted. The fuel nozzle and fuel filters were inspected, and no anomalies were found. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.