What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Accidently turned off fuel switch instead of particle seperator on climbout. Switches close together. Poor design. (.4)the pilot reported that after takeoff, when he attempted to turn the particle separator off about 200 feet above ground level, he immediately got a low fuel pressure indication and the engine then lost power. The helicopter touched down hard and rolled on its side in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot stated he believed he had inadvertently turned the fuel shutoff switch to off, rather than the particle separator switch. These two on-off switches are separated by about 2 inches on the instrument panel, and both actuate on and off in a common direction and along a common axis; the switches differ by shape only. In a post-accident examination, investigators found the fuel/oil switch off and the adjacent part sep switch on. No evidence of pre-existing mechanical problems with the engine was reported. The K-1200 received normal-category FAA type certification in August 1994. FAA airworthiness standards for type certification of normal-category rotorcraft (contained in 14 CFR 27) require cockpit controls to be 'located to...PR event confusion and inadvertent operation', as well as 'means to guard against inadvertent operation of each shutoff.' (-23)saftey recommendation to be sumitted regarding the placement of the fuel shut-off switch.
As the FAA filed it
ACCIDENTLY TURNED OFF FUEL SWITCH INSTEAD OF PARTICLE SEPERATOR ON CLIMBOUT. SWITCHES CLOSE TOGETHER. POOR DESIGN. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR OFF ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, HE IMMEDIATELY GOT A LOW FUEL PRESSURE INDICATION AND THE ENGINE THEN LOST POWER. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND ROLLED ON ITS SIDE IN THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED HE BELIEVED HE HAD INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH TO OFF, RATHER THAN THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR SWITCH. THESE TWO ON-OFF SWITCHES ARE SEPARATED BY ABOUT 2 INCHES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND BOTH ACTUATE ON AND OFF IN A COMMON DIRECTION AND ALONG A COMMON AXIS; THE SWITCHES DIFFER BY SHAPE ONLY. IN A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE FUEL/OIL SWITCH OFF AND THE ADJACENT PART SEP SWITCH ON. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE WAS REPORTED. THE K-1200 RECEIVED NORMAL-CATEGORY FAA TYPE CERTIFICATION IN AUGUST 1994. FAA AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS FOR TYPE CERTIFICATION OF NORMAL-CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT (CONTAINED IN 14 CFR 27) REQUIRE COCKPIT CONTROLS TO BE 'LOCATED TO...PR EVENT CONFUSION AND INADVERTENT OPERATION', AS WELL AS 'MEANS TO GUARD AGAINST INADVERTENT OPERATION OF EACH SHUTOFF.' (-23)SAFTEY RECOMMENDATION TO BE SUMITTED REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF THE FUEL SHUT-OFF SWITCH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.