Bell 206L accident near Trenton, New Jersey, October 14, 1987
On October 14, 1987 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L (helicopter), registered N16736, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trenton, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, AND THE PILOT'S POOR AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1987 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Trenton, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L · all 206Ls on the register
- Registration
- N16736 · no longer on the register · serial 45075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND TWO MECHANICS WERE ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, OPERATING AT ABOUT 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THEY HAD STARTED TO TRACK THE ROTOR BLADES AT 130 TO 140 MPH WHEN THEY FELT A SUDDEN LEFT YAW, AND THE 'ENGINE OUT' LIGHT AND AUDIO CAME ON. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION INTO AN OPEN FIELD. WHEN THE TAILSKIDS TOUCHED DOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE ENGINE WAS RUN-UP SATISFACTORILY. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED; THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CONTAMINATION OR OBSTRUCTION/BLOCKAGE. INVESTIGATORS DRAINED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE HELICOPTER'S FUEL TANKS, INCLUDING ONE GALLON OF 'UNUSEABLE' FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THIS IS CONSIDERED A LOW LEVEL OF FUEL AND THE PILOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,682 hours in all; 2,813 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,322 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,572 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 23, 1987; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C2U R/2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.