What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 20, 2001, at 1603 CDT, a Eurocopter deutschland (mbb-bk 117 C-1) N313LS, registered to debis financial services inc., and operated by omniflight helicopters, inc., lost power to both engines while in cruise flight and collided with trees and terrain during an autorotation near Decatur, Texas. The investigation revealed the main fuel tank contained approximately 150 gallons of fuel. The two supply tanks and the fuel lines to the engines were empty. Fuel is transferred from the main tank to the two supply tanks via separate, electrically driven fuel transfer pumps. The fuel transfer pumps were found in the on position. Post crash examination of the fuel transfer pumps operation revealed only post crash damage to the transfer pumps. The instrument flight switch was found in the on position. Turning the instrument light switch on causes dimming of the caution/warning light illimination. This accident occurred during bright daylight conditions. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a company flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the certificated commercial pilot and flight nurse sustained serious injuries, and the flightparamedic received minor injuries. The flight originated at parkland hospital, dallas, Texas, on July 20, 2001, at 1535 CDT.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 20, 2001, AT 1603 CDT, A EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND (MBB-BK 117 C-1) N313LS, REGISTERED TO DEBIS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC., AND OPERATED BY OMNIFLIGHT HELICOPTERS, INC., LOST POWER TO BOTH ENGINES WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN DURING AN AUTOROTATION NEAR DECATUR, TEXAS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN FUEL TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 150 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE TWO SUPPLY TANKS AND THE FUEL LINES TO THE ENGINES WERE EMPTY. FUEL IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE MAIN TANK TO THE TWO SUPPLY TANKS VIA SEPARATE, ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FUEL TRANSFER PUMPS. THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMPS WERE FOUND IN THE ON POSITION. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMPS OPERATION REVEALED ONLY POST CRASH DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFER PUMPS. THE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE ON POSITION. TURNING THE INSTRUMENT LIGHT SWITCH ON CAUSES DIMMING OF THE CAUTION/WARNING LIGHT ILLIMINATION. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING BRIGHT DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FLIGHT NURSE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE FLIGHTPARAMEDIC RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PARKLAND HOSPITAL, DALLAS, TEXAS, ON JULY 20, 2001, AT 1535 CDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.