Bell OH-58A accident near Blanchard, Idaho, July 30, 2023
On July 30, 2023 at about 7:19 pm local time, a 1971 Bell OH-58A (helicopter), registered N613SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Blanchard, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel contamination, which resulted in a loss of engine power. The source of the contamination could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2023 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Blanchard, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A, built 1971 · all OH-58As on the register
- Registration
- N613SS · registry record · serial 71-20613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 15 minutes into the flight, with the helicopter configured in a level attitude, the engine power reduced. The low-rotor alarm then sounded. In response, the pilot initiated an autorotation and performed a run-on landing in tall grass. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine ran as expected when placed on a test stand. The helicopter’s fuel was contaminated and had a dark/cloudy appearance with suspended particulates. The fuel samples displayed very low oxidative stability, substantial gum formation, and particulate contamination, all of which likely resulted in the engine’s loss of power. The pilot stored fuel for the helicopter in a 180-gallon aluminum tank with a filter positioned between the tank and a rubber fueling hose. When transferring fuel from the storage tank into the helicopter, the pilot did not filter fuel remaining in the hose between uses. The use of a large storage tank may have hastened fuel oxidation and gum formation. Also, fuel sitting in the hose may have degraded the hose, allowing contaminated fuel to enter the helicopter unfiltered.
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 contamination during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,472 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3.4 in the last 30 days; 1,463 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,136 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 28, 2022; 6.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce T63-A-720 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Port Falls ID at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 66S Coolin ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KDEW, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDEW 301853Z AUTO 23010G17KT 10SM CLR 27/06 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02720061 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 WPR23LA297.