OpenAirDocs.org

20030124002039A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Hiller FH-1100 · Fort Myers, FL · January 24, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
January 24, 2003 · 07:30 local
Place
Fort Myers, FL
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N543FH
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA03LA047
Reported as
Hiller FH1100
Reported engine
Allison 250C18
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,500 total300 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N543FHRegistration cancelled Jan 24, 2018 · Fairchild Hiller FH-1100S/N 43 · Built 1967Airframe modelFairchild Hiller FH-1100Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

(.19) On January 24, 2003, about 0730 eastern standard time, a fairchild/Hiller helicopter, N543FH, operated by a private individual as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight impacted with water during a forced autorotation and landing near Fort Myers, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The commercial rated-pilot received minor injuries. The flight had originated from page airport, Fort Myers, Florida, a few minutes before the accident. The flight had departed the airport and was proceeding northwest bound when the pilot reported to the control tower that he was going down. The pilot told investigators that the helicopter's engine had lost all power, and that he autorotated to the river. The pilot was rescued from the water by another helicopter that was in the area, before his helicopter sank. (-23) on January 24, 2003, at approximately 0730 EST, a fairchild Hiller FH1100, N543FH, registered to Mr. Rudi dekkers, (pilot/sole occupant), lost power during cruise flight. An autorotation was initiated culminating with the aircraft impacting the water and sinking in the caloosahatchee river in ft. Myers, Florida during a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated at southwest Florida international airport.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON JANUARY 24, 2003, ABOUT 0730 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A FAIRCHILD/HILLER HELICOPTER, N543FH, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT IMPACTED WITH WATER DURING A FORCED AUTOROTATION AND LANDING NEAR FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL RATED-PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM PAGE AIRPORT, FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AND WAS PROCEEDING NORTHWEST BOUND WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE CONTROL TOWER THAT HE WAS GOING DOWN. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE HAD LOST ALL POWER, AND THAT HE AUTOROTATED TO THE RIVER. THE PILOT WAS RESCUED FROM THE WATER BY ANOTHER HELICOPTER THAT WAS IN THE AREA, BEFORE HIS HELICOPTER SANK. (-23) ON JANUARY 24, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 EST, A FAIRCHILD HILLER FH1100, N543FH, REGISTERED TO MR. RUDI DEKKERS, (PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT), LOST POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED CULMINATING WITH THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING THE WATER AND SINKING IN THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER IN FT. MYERS, FLORIDA DURING A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

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 MIA03LA047Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Myers, FLThe pilot's inadequate preflight/preparation and his in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.Jan 24, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N543FH · 1

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

Accident 19830525021069ATo Vertical (Helicopter Only) · Beaumont, TXEntered a settling with power situation after takeoff from a parking lot. Made hard ground contact on a street.May 25, 1983 · Substantial damage