20001006041779A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Helio H-295 · Lake Clark Pass, AK · October 6, 2000

Date: October 6, 2000 · 15:30 local
Place: Lake Clark Pass, AK
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N295BA
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC01LA003
Reported as: Helio H295
Reported engine: Lycoming GO480G1D6
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 30,000 total1,000 in this make and model48 in the last 90 days

N295BARegistration cancelled Apr 1, 2023 · Helio H-295S/N 1409 Airframe modelHelio H-295

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.

(-23) On October 6, 2000, a Helio courier 295 airplane N295BA, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing in Lake Clark Pass, Alaska. Piloted by james r. branham, a ATP rated pilot, who sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The aircraft was on a company flight plan. The pilot reported that during cruise flight the engine quit operating. Restart was unsuccessful. Aircraft landed upright in small trees and brush. Inspection of aircraft on October 17, 2000 at big lake, Alaska airport, revealed fuel contamination. Water was found in the carburetor and in the fuel gascolator. Note: it is suspected that the water found in the carburetor and gascolator had been intrained in the fuel and may have been undetectable by the pilot during preflight sumping.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 6, 2000, A HELIO COURIER 295 AIRPLANE N295BA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN LAKE CLARK PASS, ALASKA. PILOTED BY JAMES R. BRANHAM, A ATP RATED PILOT, WHO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT OPERATING. RESTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AIRCRAFT LANDED UPRIGHT IN SMALL TREES AND BRUSH. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT ON OCTOBER 17, 2000 AT BIG LAKE, ALASKA AIRPORT, REVEALED FUEL CONTAMINATION. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR AND IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR. NOTE: IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE WATER FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR AND GASCOLATOR HAD BEEN INTRAINED IN THE FUEL AND MAY HAVE BEEN UNDETECTABLE BY THE PILOT DURING PREFLIGHT SUMPING.

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 ANC01LA003Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPort Alsworth, AKThe pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to remove all water from the fuel system. A factor associated with the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.Oct 6, 2000 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N295BA · 1

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

Accident 20070930022269ADescent · King Salmon, AK(-23) At approximately 1720 Alaska daylight time, N295BA a Helio H-295, collided with trees and tundra about 40 miles northeast of King Salmon, Alaska. The aircraft suffered substantial damage from the impact. The aircraft was operating under visual flight…Sep 30, 2007 · Substantial damage · 4 fatal