Eurocopter EC 130 B4 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, June 27, 2017
On June 27, 2017 at about 9:03 pm local time, a 2007 Eurocopter EC 130 B4 (helicopter), registered N151GC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Boulder City, Nevada. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the failure of the manufacturer to reinstall the oil filter after it was removed for inspection, which led to coke pollution that obstructed the oil jet and resulted in the subsequent oil starvation of the axial compressor rear bearing oil and its subsequent failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2017 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter EC 130 B4 B, built 2007 · all EC 130 B4s on the register
- Registration
- N151GC · registry record · serial 4402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, during an air tour flight, the engine lost total power. He initiated an autorotation to a nearby helicopter pad, during which the helicopter contacted power lines. He subsequently conducted an emergency landing on up-sloping terrain. Postaccident on-site engine examination revealed that both the gas generator and power turbine were seized and could not be rotated by hand and that there was a significant amount of heat damage to the turbine blades and thermocouples. The vehicle and engine multifunction display recorded multiple engine temperature exceedances during the accident flight. Metal particles were found on the accessory gearbox magnetic plug. Further, no oil filter was found installed in the airplane. Subsequent engine examination revealed that there was a hole in the centrifugal compressor. Examination further revealed that the No. 2 oil jet for the axial compressor rear bearing was obstructed, which resulted in oil starvation of the bearing and its subsequent failure. The bearing failure subsequently caused the gas generator rotating assembly to seize and resulted in the centrifugal compressor contacting the cover and creating the hole found in the component. Subsequent oil jet examinations revealed that coke pollution had obstructed the No. 2 oil jet. The lack of an oil filter precipitated the No. 2 oil jet obstruction and resulted in the axial compressor rear bearing deterioration. The resultant engine inefficiency caused by the bearing failure and obstructed oil jet led to the need for higher fuel flow, which eventually resulted in an overtemperature/high pressure turbine failure and seizure of the gas generator and subsequent flameout; this was confirmed by data downloaded from the digital engine control unit, which recorded exceedances in the gas generator and free turbine speeds and an increase in fuel flow. The manufacturer conducted the last maintenance, which was planned to be an overhaul of the accessory gearbox, 109.6 hours before the accident. During the maintenance, the oil filter was removed and discarded as part of the normal process for arrival inspection. A maintenance document review revealed that the overhaul was not due and that the manufacturer then sent the accessory gearbox back to the operator as is. However, the manufacturer did not inform the operator that it had removed the engine oil filter before returning the module, which is why no filter was found installed on the airplane.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Oil system › Not installed/available
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,827 hours in all; 1,634 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,748 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,536.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 22, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 5,350 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 (turboshaft); 2,713 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVU Boulder City NV at 8:48 pm
- Destination: BVU Boulder City NV
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from KBVU, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 4 |
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 WPR17LA133.