Bell 206B accident near Newfield, New York, July 25, 2002
On July 25, 2002 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered CGMLS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newfield, New York. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to verify the amount of fuel onboard prior to departure, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, and subsequent hard landing. A factor was the lack of a suitable landing area under the helicopter when the power loss occurred.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2002 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Newfield, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- CGMLS · no longer on the register · serial 378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Bell 206B was involved in long line operations when the engine lost power. The pilot was operating over a wooded area at 20 mph, transitioning between two pickup areas located about 1,000 feet apart, with no suitable landing area nearby. The pilot stretched his glide to reach a suitable landing area, during which time, the main rotor rpm decayed. Touchdown was hard and the forward skid tube was spread while the rear skid tube penetrated the fuel tank. There was evidence of a limited fuel spill at the accident site. The pilot was operating with an intermittent fuel quantity measuring system, and dipping the tanks with a stick to determine fuel quantity. The helicopter was not equipped with a low fuel quantity light. According to Bell helicopters, use of a dip stick to measure fuel quantity is not an approved procedure. The operator reported that he had not received authority from Transport Canada, to operate with an inoperative fuel gauge, or to dip the tanks to determine fuel quantity. Refueling had been accomplished using an electric fuel pump powered by a battery installed in a truck.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,110.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 9, 2002; 54.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C-20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Newfield NY at 3:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Newfield NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ITH, 10 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.
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.