ANACONDA, Mont. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a fatal helicopter crash that occurred on April 2024 in Anaconda.
The report identifies the probable cause as a total loss of engine power due to oil loss to the turbine-to-compressor coupling shaft, resulting in a shaft fracture at an insufficient altitude for autorotation.
Additionally, the report notes carbon buildup in the piccolo tube screen and nozzles, alongside undetermined causes for the disintegration of spur adapter gear shaft O-rings.
The helicopter, a 2005 Bell 206-L4, was conducting revegetation and reclamation work for Atlantic Richfield Company. The sole occupant, 28-year-old Justin Price, succumbed to blunt force injuries.
For more details, view the full NTSB report below: