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19990717035079A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Sour Lake, TX · July 17, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 17, 1999 · 16:30 local
Place
Sour Lake, TX
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
ZIOG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4002G
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW99TA194
Reported as
Bell 47G3B1
Reported engine
Allison T63A700
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,549 total500 in this make and model170 in the last 90 days
N4002GRegistration cancelled Mar 23, 2018 · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 6529 · Built 1966Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1Engine modelLycoming VO-435 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The helicopter lost engine power during takeoff due to contaminated fuel. The commercial helicopter pilot stated that the night before the accident flight, the fueling truck, which contained three tanks (one each for water, chemicals, and fuel), was checked. The pilot stated that the fuel appeared `normal' that night. The following day, prior to the accident flight, the helicopter was `refueled without sumping the tanks.' The pilot added that during takeoff, the engine lost power about 50 feet above the ground, at 30 miles per hour. He executed an autorotation to the ground where the main rotor blades impacted the tail boom and the tail rotor blades contacted the ground. The pilot stated that he found 20 gallons of water in the helicopter's fuel tank after the accident. He added that he discovered the fuel truck had a crack in between the water and fuel tanks. Approximately 80 gallons of water had leaked into the truck's fuel tank. The fuel truck was `supposed to have an aqua stop filter installed that will not pump if water is present but the wrong filter was installed.'

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE HELICOPTER LOST ENGINE POWER DURING TAKEOFF DUE TO CONTAMINATED FUEL. THE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT STATED THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE FUELING TRUCK, WHICH CONTAINED THREE TANKS (ONE EACH FOR WATER, CHEMICALS, AND FUEL), WAS CHECKED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL APPEARED `NORMAL' THAT NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER WAS `REFUELED WITHOUT SUMPING THE TANKS.' THE PILOT ADDED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AT 30 MILES PER HOUR. HE EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE TAIL BOOM AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FOUND 20 GALLONS OF WATER IN THE HELICOPTER'S FUEL TANK AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE ADDED THAT HE DISCOVERED THE FUEL TRUCK HAD A CRACK IN BETWEEN THE WATER AND FUEL TANKS. APPROXIMATELY 80 GALLONS OF WATER HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRUCK'S FUEL TANK. THE FUEL TRUCK WAS `SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN AQUA STOP FILTER INSTALLED THAT WILL NOT PUMP IF WATER IS PRESENT BUT THE WRONG FILTER WAS INSTALLED.'

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW99TA194Accident · No injuriesFinal reportSour Lake, TXThe pilot's failure to adequately preflight the helicopter's fuel system resulting in the total loss of engine power as a result of water contamination. Factors were the incorrect filter installed on the fueling truck and the pilot's improper touchdown…Jul 17, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4002G · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20150803016289ALanding: Approach · Camden, AL08/03/2015 1600 Local time. Pilot stated that during approach to a landing spot from the southeast, with winds light and variable from the northwest, at about 300 feet AGL and ½ mile out of the intended landing point, after he cleared a 100 ft. tall tree, he…Aug 3, 2015 · DestroyedAccident 20021019028919AHighfalls, GA(-23) Operator said while spraying timber he lost engine power and autorotated into wooded area, iic found that recovery team found only 2 gal. Of gas in left tank. Iic found less then 4 ounces gas/water in right tank. Tank capacity 61.6 gals. 57.5 usable.Oct 19, 2002 · DestroyedAccident 19790120021479ALow Level Operations · Falfurrias, TXPilot was herding cattle at low altitude, hit trees. Gusty winds contributed.Jan 20, 1979 · Reported as Bell 47G4A · Substantial damage