Bell 206-L1 accident near Eugene Is 296B, September 7, 2000
On September 7, 2000 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 206-L1 (helicopter), registered N27680, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eugene Is 296B. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2000 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eugene Is 296B
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L1 · all 206-L1s on the register
- Registration
- N27680 · no longer on the register · serial 45288
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After about 2 hours and 54 minutes of flight, the helicopter had a loss of engine power while on final approach to an offshore oil platform. The pilot initiated an autorotation and subsequently landed hard on rough/choppy ocean water. Fuel consumption calculations, provided by the operator, showed that the helicopter could have been at or near fuel exhaustion at the time of the accident. The helicopter sank to the bottom of the ocean, thus precluding available fuel verification and examination of aircraft systems. Therefore, the reason for the loss of power could not be determined conclusively.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,810 hours in all; 2,493 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,796 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Eugene Is 286 GM
- Destination: NONE Eugene Is 296B GM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.