Bell 412 accident near Whittier, California, August 17, 2015
On August 17, 2015 at about 2:11 am local time, a 1981 Bell 412 (helicopter), registered N412LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Whittier, California. It was a firefighting flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to appropriately monitor the helicopter's fuel supply, resulting in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and an autorotation with a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2015 · about 2:11 am local time
- Place
- Whittier, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 412 UNDESIGNAT, built 1981 · all 412s on the register
- Registration
- N412LA · no longer on the register · serial 33061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the public use, multi-engine helicopter, he performed an autorotation and landing after exhausting the helicopter's fuel supply in flight. The pilot reported that while acting as the Helicopter Commander during a brush fire containment mission, the complexities involved with managing the fire increased and as a result, the pilot stated, "I failed to re-adjust my station time appropriately for my aircraft." He reported that both engines lost power and he executed an autorotation and touchdown onto down sloping terrain. Upon impact with the ground, the main rotor blades flexed down and severed the tail boom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom, the main rotor and tail rotor blades, the main rotor drive system and the primary flight controls. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
- Autorotation Fuel exhaustion
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Task environment › Pressures/demands › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,300 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 23.3 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command; 850 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,918 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 11,900 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6T-3BE (turboshaft); 6,977 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6T-3BE (turboshaft); 9,879 hours total
- Operator: County Of Los Angeles Fire Department
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 9:48 pm
- Destination: Whittier CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 26, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N412LA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.