What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1959 Hiller UH-12E helicopter engine failed during aerial application, and the acft crashed and sustained substantial damage. (.4)while spraying a rice field the engine suddenly quit. The pilot force landed in the field severing the tail boom. The pilot reported the turbine powered helicopter had been fueled the day before the accident, however, he did not visually confirm it. The aircraft had only flown 0.5 hours during this flight. Examination of the fuel system revealed a broken wire in the fuel quantity indicating system. According to the maintenance manual for this helicopter, the open circuit caused by the wire breakage will cause a fuel quantity indication of 34 gallons when the tank is empty. (-23)pilot reported he observed 17 gal reading on fuel gauge when engine abruptly quit while performing aerial application. Forced landing followed, wtih no injuries but substantial aircraft damage. Subsequent discussion with company owner revealed fuel quantity system may be faulty. Post accident check by owner revealed actual fuel level almost depleted with a 36 gal reading on the gauge when the master switch was energized. Pilot reported th e aircraft was not fueled the day of the accident and the aircraft was operated only 0.5 hours before the engine quit. (.19)see NTSB LAX99LA237
As the FAA filed it
1959 HILLER UH-12E HELICOPTER ENGINE FAILED DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, AND THE ACFT CRASHED AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4)WHILE SPRAYING A RICE FIELD THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT FORCE LANDED IN THE FIELD SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TURBINE POWERED HELICOPTER HAD BEEN FUELED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CONFIRM IT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY FLOWN 0.5 HOURS DURING THIS FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A BROKEN WIRE IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR THIS HELICOPTER, THE OPEN CIRCUIT CAUSED BY THE WIRE BREAKAGE WILL CAUSE A FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION OF 34 GALLONS WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY. (-23)PILOT REPORTED HE OBSERVED 17 GAL READING ON FUEL GAUGE WHEN ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION. FORCED LANDING FOLLOWED, WTIH NO INJURIES BUT SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION WITH COMPANY OWNER REVEALED FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEM MAY BE FAULTY. POST ACCIDENT CHECK BY OWNER REVEALED ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL ALMOST DEPLETED WITH A 36 GAL READING ON THE GAUGE WHEN THE MASTER SWITCH WAS ENERGIZED. PILOT REPORTED TH E AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FUELED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED ONLY 0.5 HOURS BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. (.19)SEE NTSB LAX99LA237
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.