ARFF Daily News

Wednesday the 7th of May, 2025

NTSB Prelim: Bell 206B

(Pilot) Felt A Shudder And Heard The Engine Sounding Differently, Followed By The Engine Chip Detector Light

Location: Amboy, WA Accident Number: WPR25LA134
Date & Time: April 14, 2025, 18:00 Local Registration: N16671
Aircraft: Bell 206B Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On April 14, 2025, about 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B, N16671, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Amboy, Washington. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he had been operating the helicopter for about one hour, practicing takeoff and landings. While about 800 ft above ground level (agl), he felt a shudder and heard the engine sounding differently, followed by the engine chip detector light illuminating and the engine losing power. He entered an autorotation, turned right to an open field, and landed with about a 20-knot tailwind. During the landing sequence, the tail skid contacted the ground initially followed by the tailboom separating near the elevators. 

The helicopter came to rest balanced on the right skid, right elevator and one main rotor blade. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. A visual examination of the engine revealed damage to the compressor section. The helicopter was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

14 Years ago today: On 7 May 2011 Merpati Nusantara flight 8968, a Xian MA-60, crashed into the sea while on approach to Kaimana Airport, Indonesia, killing all 25 occupants.

Date: Saturday 7 May 2011

Time: 14:05

Type: Xian MA60

Owner/operator: Merpati Nusantara Airlines

Registration: PK-MZK

MSN: 0603

Year of manufacture: 2007

Total airframe hrs: 615 hours

Cycles: 764 flights

Engine model: P&W Canada PW127J

Fatalities: Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Accident

Location: 0,8 km SW off Kaimana-Utarom Airport (KNG) -   Indonesia

Phase: Approach

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Sorong-Dominique Edward Osok Airport (SOQ/WAXX)

Destination airport: Kaimana-Utarom Airport (KNG/WASK)

Investigating agency: NTSC

Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:

Merpati Nusantara flight 8968, a Xian MA-60, crashed into the sea while on approach to Kaimana Airport, Indonesia, killing all 25 occupants.

The airplane carried 19 passengers and six crew members. All on board were killed in the accident.

The airplane operated on Merpati flight MZ8968 from Sorong (SOQ) to Kaimana (KNG), Nabire (NBX), and Biak (BIK). The flight took off from Sorong at 12:50 for the one hour and four minutes flight to Kaimana. Cruising altitude was 15.500 feet and weather forecast for Kaimana indicated rain with a visibility of 8 km, half of the sky covered with clouds with cloud base at 1400 ft, winds from the southeast at 6 mph (5.2 kts) and temperature of 29°C.

At 13:25 the crew received updated weather information, indicating that visibility had decreased to 3-8 km, with cumulonimbus clouds at 1500 ft.

At about 13:37, MZ 8968 reported at 7 nautical miles from the airport, descending through an altitude of 8000 ft.

Five minutes later the Kaimana AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) officer informed the crew that it was still raining at the airport and the ground visibility was 2 kilometers.

During the approach to Kaimana, the flight crew flew to the south of the airport in an attempt to make a visual approach. The auto-pilot was disengaged at 960 feet pressure altitude. At 376 feet pressure altitude, the crew decided to discontinue the approach and climbed, turning to the left. Engine power was increased and flaps were retracted from 15 to 5 and subsequently to 0 degrees. The landing gear was also retracted. The aircraft rolled to the left with a bank angle of 11° and continuously increased up to 38°. The rate of descend increased significantly up to about 3000 feet per minute and the airplane finally impacted into the shallow sea.

Kaimana Airport has a single runway, 01/19 (asphalt, length 5249 feet / 1600 m) which runs parallel to the coast with the sea to the west and mountains to the east. The airplane crashed into the sea about 800 m southwest of the runway 01 threshold and 550 m from the beach. It broke up and sank to a depth of about 15 metres.

The airplane had been manufacturer in 2008. It was stored at the factory in Xian until it was delivered to Merpati in December 2010.

Factors contributed to the accident are as follows:

1. The flight was conducted in VFR in condition that was not suitable for visual approach when the visibility was 2 km. In such a situation a visual approach should not have been attempted.

2. There was no checklist reading and crew briefing.

3. The flight crew had lack of situation awareness when tried to find the runway, and discontinued the approach.

4. The missed approach was initiated at altitude 376 feet pressure altitude (250 feet radio altitude), the pilot open power to 70% and 82% torque followed by flap retracted to 5 and subsequently to 0. The rapid descent was mainly caused by continuously increase of roll angle up to 38 degree to the left and the retraction of flaps from 15 to 0 position.

5. Both crew had low experience/flying time on type.

6. Inadequacy/ineffectivity in the training program may lead to actions that deviated from the standard procedure and regression to the previous type.