19990730010189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Petersburg, AK · July 30, 1999

Date: July 30, 1999 · 02:04 local
Place: Petersburg, AK
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: TL8L
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N103FW
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC99LA100
Reported as: Hughes 369D

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.

Hughes 369D helicopter crashed on landing and sustained substantial damage, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) this aviation departed an lz enroute to Petersburg, Alaska, with an unknown quantity and insufficient amount of fuel for the duration of the flight. During the approach to the runway, the engine flamed out and the pilot attempted to stretch the glide (so as not to land off the airport). The rotor RPM decayed which resulted in a hard landing followed by a rollover of the helicopter. This caused substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER CRASHED ON LANDING AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) THIS AVIATION DEPARTED AN LZ ENROUTE TO PETERSBURG, ALASKA, WITH AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY AND INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF FUEL FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE (SO AS NOT TO LAND OFF THE AIRPORT). THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING FOLLOWED BY A ROLLOVER OF THE HELICOPTER. THIS CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 ANC99LA100Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPetersburg, AKThe pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter prior to fuel exhaustion. Factors associated with the accident were an inoperative low fuel warning system, and the pilot's improper autorotation.Jul 31, 1999 · Substantial damage