N820H

On February 4, 2021, about 0015 eastern standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N820H, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Pahokee, Florida. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 agricultural flight.

According to the pilot, the purpose of flight was to fly at low level above crops, which would allow the helicopter’s downwash to help keep the crops from freezing. After completing about 2 hours of low-level maneuvering, the pilot heard a “chirp” with no corresponding caution panel lights. He scanned the instruments and did not immediately observe anything abnormal, then the low rotor horn sounded, and the helicopter immediately started to lose altitude as the rotor speed decayed. The pilot briefly observed a red engine light on the instrument panel.

The pilot initiated an autorotation from an altitude of about 50 ft, and forward airspeed of about 35 knots. The helicopter landed hard on uneven terrain and rolled over. After the helicopter came to rest, a post-crash fire ensued. The pilot and passenger egressed without injury. The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, there was about 60 minutes of fuel remaining.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the fuselage, landing skids, engine, and transmission were all located at the main wreckage site, with a portion of the tail boom assembly and a rotor blade found separate from the main wreckage. Significant portions of the helicopter were consumed by the post-impact fire and the engine and transmission assembly was thermally damaged by the post-crash fire. Control continuity could not be established to the main rotor or the tail rotor due to the impact- and thermal-related damage. The fuel system was consumed by post-crash fire; therefore, operation and condition of the fuel system during flight could not be confirmed.

The engine and its components were recovered and examined at the manufacturer, which revealed no pre-impact anomalies which would have precluded normal engine operation; however, the examination was limited due to the extent of the thermal and impact damage sustained during the accident.