Bell 206B accident near Turner, Oregon, January 26, 2004
On January 26, 2004 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N92CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Turner, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect contaminated fuel. A collapsed fuel screen was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2004 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Turner, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N92CA · registry record · serial 2016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing maneuvers with a 100-foot long line attached in preparation for a check ride the following day. The pilot reported that he was in a hover with the hook at the end of the line just touching the ground. The pilot then increased altitude and raised the hook off the ground about 10 feet, when the engine suddenly decreased power to idle. The pilot immediately initiated an autorotation to an open field. The helicopter subsequently touched down tail low, followed by the main rotor blades contacting and severing the tailboom. Post-accident inspection of the engine found the fuel nozzle screen collapsed with traces of contaminant in the screen. Water and bacterial contaminants were found in the airframe filter bowl and fuel pump filter bowl. It was also noted that Kerosene (K-1), which is not approved for this engine was being used instead of Jet A. The engine was test run in a test cell and although the engine was found to run below normal rated shaft horsepower, no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
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: 11,500 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 11,350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,231 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 27, 2003; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250 C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLE Salem OR at 11:15 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from SLE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA04LA036.