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GAA16CA408

2016-07-30 · Modesto, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MOD

Current FAA registration · N206LW

Make / Model
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1
Year of manufacture
1978 · 38 years old at event
Engine
ALLISON 250 SER 400HP (400 hp)
Seats / Engines
7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19781127
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1A95C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during an autorotation, which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. Contributing to the accident was the low fuel level which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power during the right turn to final.

Factual narrative

The helicopter pilot reported that after a lengthy search and rescue mission he was headed back to the airport when the low fuel light illuminated, which meant there was about 10 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot further reported that during the approach to land he made a right turn to final and the engine "flamed out". Subsequently, the pilot performed an emergency autorotation which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. After the landing, the passenger examined the helicopter and revealed that the tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power reported by the pilot was likely the result of fuel starvation during the right turn to final. The pilot reported that the fuel level was not checked after the accident. The helicopter pilot reported that after a lengthy search and rescue mission he was headed back to the airport when the low fuel light illuminated, which meant there was about 10 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot further reported that during the approach to land he made a right turn to final and the engine "flamed out". Subsequently, the pilot performed an emergency autorotation which resulted in abnormal ground contact and main rotor contact with the tail boom. After the landing, the passenger examined the helicopter and revealed that the tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power reported by the pilot was likely the result of fuel starvation during the right turn to final. The pilot reported that the fuel level was not checked after the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • F Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level - F

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA16CA408.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel starvation). All research papers