PRESTONBURG, KY, USA
N773WW
BELL 206L-1
THE PAX DEPLANED & THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A SHORT FLT TO A NEARBY ARPT TO REFUEL. AFTER CLIMBING FOR ABOUT 30 TO 40 SEC & ACCELERATING TO APRX 100 KTS, THE PLT STARTED TO ADJUST THE PWR FOR LVL FLT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ENG LOST PWR. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE ENG PWR, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE TURNED TO LAND IN A LARGE FIELD THAT HE HAD JUST OVERFLOWN. DRGAN AUTOROTATION, THE ENG STABILIZED AT IDLE RPM, BUT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENTS. THE PLT SAW POWER LINES IN HIS AUTOROTATION PATH & ELECTED TO CROSS OVER A CREEK & A ROW OF TREES & LAND IN ANOTHER FIELD. HOWEVER, THE HELI- COPTER HAD INSUFFICIENT ALT TO CLEAR THE TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT THE TREES & CRASH LANDED ON A CREEK BANK. AFTER LANDING, THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING & WAS SHUT DOWN BY USING THE FUEL SHUT-OFF SW. THE AFT FUEL CELL WAS PUNCTURED DRG IMPACT; THEREFORE, THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ENG OPERATED DRG A POST-CRASH CHECK, BUT IMPACT DAMAGE PREVENTED OPERATING IT AT HIGH RPM. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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