What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) With 13 gallons of fuel showing on the gauge the pilot justified an attempt to fly from the job site back to his helipad. On approach to the pad, at a faster then normal airspeed and steep approach angle, the pilot attempting to slow the aircraft for landing, reduced pitch and raised the nose to an approximate 15 degree angle. While in this attitude a fuel boost pump fail light light illuminated, then the auto relite illuminated, then the engine out light illuminated. An attempt was made to lower the nose hoping for a relite, it did not happen. The pilot changed his landing spot from the helipad to a parking lot, which was a little further away and slightly higher. The aircraft hit on the right skid, bounced and landed on both skids, turned left and rolled onto it's right side. During the conversation with Mr. Ruhl, when he reported the accident, he stated the cause of the accident was fuel starvation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WITH 13 GALLONS OF FUEL SHOWING ON THE GAUGE THE PILOT JUSTIFIED AN ATTEMPT TO FLY FROM THE JOB SITE BACK TO HIS HELIPAD. ON APPROACH TO THE PAD, AT A FASTER THEN NORMAL AIRSPEED AND STEEP APPROACH ANGLE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING, REDUCED PITCH AND RAISED THE NOSE TO AN APPROXIMATE 15 DEGREE ANGLE. WHILE IN THIS ATTITUDE A FUEL BOOST PUMP FAIL LIGHT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THEN THE AUTO RELITE ILLUMINATED, THEN THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LOWER THE NOSE HOPING FOR A RELITE, IT DID NOT HAPPEN. THE PILOT CHANGED HIS LANDING SPOT FROM THE HELIPAD TO A PARKING LOT, WHICH WAS A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER. THE AIRCRAFT HIT ON THE RIGHT SKID, BOUNCED AND LANDED ON BOTH SKIDS, TURNED LEFT AND ROLLED ONTO IT'S RIGHT SIDE. DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH MR. RUHL, WHEN HE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT, HE STATED THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS FUEL STARVATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.