Incident
On January 20, 2011, at approximately 12:15 local time, a Bell 206L3 helicopter, registered ZK-ISF, ditched into the ocean off the north coast of Auckland, New Zealand. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported that during straight and level flight at an altitude of about 1,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL), he experienced a loss of engine power. The rotorcraft subsequently crashed into the water and came to rest submerged in approximately 50 feet of water.
Recovery and Investigation
The helicopter was recovered and examined by the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). The engine was disassembled and inspected in New Zealand. Components including the fuel pump, fuel control unit (FCU), and power turbine governor were removed and sent to Rolls-Royce in the United States. Rolls-Royce then forwarded these units to Honeywell facilities in South Bend, Indiana, for further teardown and examination.
Investigation Authority
The investigation is being conducted by the New Zealand Accident Investigation Commission. Further information can be obtained from:
NEW ZEALAND The Chief Executive Officer Transport Accident Investigation Commission 11 Cigna House 40 Mercer Street P.O. Box 10-323 Wellington 6143 New Zealand
Tel: (64) 4-473-0199 (24 hours) (64) 4-473-3112 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (64) 4-499-1510 AFTN: NZHOYAYX Cable: CIVAIR NZ Website: http://www.taic.org.nz