What happened
On May 21, 2019, a Bell 206B helicopter, registration N9956K, was performing a private VFR flight from Aeropuerto Internacional Dr. Joaquín Balaguer to La Vega to collect passengers. After picking up two individuals, the flight proceeded toward Puerto Plata.
While approximately 10 nautical miles from Puerto Plata (MDPP) at 3,000 feet, the pilot notified air traffic control of his position. One minute later, the pilot declared an emergency, reporting an engine out condition at 5.5 nautical miles and 1,000 feet altitude. The pilot attempted an autorotative landing; however, the aircraft struck the terrain with excessive energy. The impact caused the main rotor to strike the tail boom, fractured the landing skid, and triggered a post-crash fire that consumed the airframe. The two passengers sustained fatal injuries in the crash and fire. The pilot also sustained fatal injuries, passing away 12 hours after the accident due to full-body burns.