Bell 206B-3 accident near Kisatchie, Louisiana, September 9, 2003
On September 9, 2003 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B-3 (helicopter), registered N197AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kisatchie, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2003 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kisatchie, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B-3 · all 206B-3s on the register
- Registration
- N197AA · registry record · serial 3517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the engine lost power as the helicopter reached 50 feet AGL. The 5,400-hour pilot elected to perform an autorotation to a nearby open field. During the autorotation, the helicopter impacted the ground hard and came to rest on its right side. The engine was examined and revealed no major damage. The engine fuel filter was removed revealing contaminates inside the filter element assembly. There was fuel in the fuel pump filter bowl, and also revealed contaminates. Fuel samples were taken from the fuel pump filter bowl and the fuel cell. Lab test analysis revealed heavy water contamination in the fuel system.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 5,300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,497 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Kisatchie LA
- Destination: Kisatchie LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:21 pm from IER, 20 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW03LA216.