# Accident 20010720022719A: Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-1, Decatur, TX, July 20, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2001, 15:53 local time
- Place: Decatur, TX
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: RMXA
- Location: 33.2850° N, 97.6167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2850&lon=-97.6167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N313LS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N313LS-2001-12-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-1 (registry code 5626025, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-mbb-bk-117-c-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA166) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010720022719A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW01LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA166), Jul 20, 2001: Eurocopter BK117-C1 (N313LS), Decatur, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to follow the checklist and turn on the fuel transfer pumps, which resulted in fuel starvation and a dual loss of engine power while in cruise flight.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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