What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Instructor stated that prior to training flight fuel gauge was checked and 12 gallons of fuel added to give 2 hours of flight time. The instruction flight was planned to be 1.5 hours. After completing 4 practice auto rotations, the instructor and student confirmed using the fuel gauge they had time and fuel for one more practice auto rotations. During the climb the engine quit, a downwind auto rotation was attempted in minor damage to the helicopter and no injuries to the occupants. Post incident investigation found the fuel sender unit to give an inaccurate reading to the ships fuel gauge. The system was indicating more fuel than was actually in the ship. This false reading lead to fuel depletion and engine stoppage at 1.2 hours of flight time.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT PRIOR TO TRAINING FLIGHT FUEL GAUGE WAS CHECKED AND 12 GALLONS OF FUEL ADDED TO GIVE 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME. THE INSTRUCTION FLIGHT WAS PLANNED TO BE 1.5 HOURS. AFTER COMPLETING 4 PRACTICE AUTO ROTATIONS, THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT CONFIRMED USING THE FUEL GAUGE THEY HAD TIME AND FUEL FOR ONE MORE PRACTICE AUTO ROTATIONS. DURING THE CLIMB THE ENGINE QUIT, A DOWNWIND AUTO ROTATION WAS ATTEMPTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER AND NO INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS. POST INCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FUEL SENDER UNIT TO GIVE AN INACCURATE READING TO THE SHIPS FUEL GAUGE. THE SYSTEM WAS INDICATING MORE FUEL THAN WAS ACTUALLY IN THE SHIP. THIS FALSE READING LEAD TO FUEL DEPLETION AND ENGINE STOPPAGE AT 1.2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.
Other reports on N8623B · 1
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