What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departing small clearing rotors hit trees. Had tried downwind climbout. Addmitted drank beer prior departure. (.4)the pilot and two passengers departed a small clearing after visiting friends. Once over the trees the helicopter began to lose manifold pressure and RPM. A rapid descent followed, and while attempting a pedal turn to reach a clear area, the helicopter struck trees and impacted the ground. The helicopter came to rest in a partially upright attitude and was consumed by a post crash fire. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunction. The operator provided fuel samples, pre-accident sample from the helicopters' fuel tank, post-accident sample from the fuel truck metal tank, and post-accident sample from within the fuel truck's fuel hose which were tested. The tests did not reveal any contamination to the fuel truck metal tank sample, however the other two samples contained the same substance, a submersed clear gum, in the hose that was immersed in aviation fuel for several days. A test revealed the substance consisted of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-ethylhexyl) ester and nearly 100% of the gum was solube in the fuel. The operator reported that the distributor of the versicon hose had advised him that the hose was acceptable for use with aviation fuels. Specifications provided by the manufacturer of the hose included a note which stated 'not recommended for the variety of unleaded gas existing presently.'
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTING SMALL CLEARING ROTORS HIT TREES. HAD TRIED DOWNWIND CLIMBOUT. ADDMITTED DRANK BEER PRIOR DEPARTURE. (.4)THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED A SMALL CLEARING AFTER VISITING FRIENDS. ONCE OVER THE TREES THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO LOSE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND RPM. A RAPID DESCENT FOLLOWED, AND WHILE ATTEMPTING A PEDAL TURN TO REACH A CLEAR AREA, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST IN A PARTIALLY UPRIGHT ATTITUDE AND WAS CONSUMED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE OPERATOR PROVIDED FUEL SAMPLES, PRE-ACCIDENT SAMPLE FROM THE HELICOPTERS' FUEL TANK, POST-ACCIDENT SAMPLE FROM THE FUEL TRUCK METAL TANK, AND POST-ACCIDENT SAMPLE FROM WITHIN THE FUEL TRUCK'S FUEL HOSE WHICH WERE TESTED. THE TESTS DID NOT REVEAL ANY CONTAMINATION TO THE FUEL TRUCK METAL TANK SAMPLE, HOWEVER THE OTHER TWO SAMPLES CONTAINED THE SAME SUBSTANCE, A SUBMERSED CLEAR GUM, IN THE HOSE THAT WAS IMMERSED IN AVIATION FUEL FOR SEVERAL DAYS. A TEST REVEALED THE SUBSTANCE CONSISTED OF 1,2-BENZENEDICARBOXYLIC ACID, BIS (2-ETHYLHEXYL) ESTER AND NEARLY 100% OF THE GUM WAS SOLUBE IN THE FUEL. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR OF THE VERSICON HOSE HAD ADVISED HIM THAT THE HOSE WAS ACCEPTABLE FOR USE WITH AVIATION FUELS. SPECIFICATIONS PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE HOSE INCLUDED A NOTE WHICH STATED 'NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE VARIETY OF UNLEADED GAS EXISTING PRESENTLY.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.