CHICAGO, IL, USA
N9229X
BELL 206B-3
THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND AUTOROTATED TO AN OPEN FIELD IN AN URBAN AREA DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED IN, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'A DEEP GRASSY, ROUGH FIELD.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR CASE REVEALED PUNCTURES IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WHEN THE COMPRESSOR CASE WAS OPENED ALL BLADES AND VANES AFT ON THE FIRST STAGE WERE DAMAGED OR FRACTURED.
A HARD LANDING CAUSED BY THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO JUDGE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE OR HIS CLOSURE RATE TO TERRAIN BECAUSE OF HIGH VEGETATION IN THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING. AN ENGINE FAULURE CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR SECTION IS A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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