What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The on-scene investigation revealed no fuel in both tanks. Both tanks had been topped off with 19 us gallons before the flight at bergstrom aircraft in pasco, WA. This was verified with an interview with Mr. Bergstrom, and he produced records of customer fuel orders that substantiated the order. The aircraft departed at approximately 3:35 p.m. as verified with psc tower to the sw enroute to the dalles, or with 2 persons in the aircraft. In a telephone interview with the passenger, which was certificated rotorcraft pilot, stated that they were having problems navigating with the GPS and decided to land and get a map from underneath a seat and use it to navigate with to their destination. This was accomplished and they departed with Mr. Morris at the controls. A very short time elapsed and Mr. Morris decided to land. The passenger stated that there was a loss in rotor RPM during the landing approach and Mr. Morris was unsuccessful in regaining the rotor RPM, with the final outcome being dynamic rollover of the helicopter with the aircraft coming to rest on its left side. The passenger stated that there were no unusual sounds or vibrations or power problems with the aircraft during the approach to landing. See attached sheet.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. BOTH TANKS HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF WITH 19 US GALLONS BEFORE THE FLIGHT AT BERGSTROM AIRCRAFT IN PASCO, WA. THIS WAS VERIFIED WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. BERGSTROM, AND HE PRODUCED RECORDS OF CUSTOMER FUEL ORDERS THAT SUBSTANTIATED THE ORDER. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 3:35 P.M. AS VERIFIED WITH PSC TOWER TO THE SW ENROUTE TO THE DALLES, OR WITH 2 PERSONS IN THE AIRCRAFT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE PASSENGER, WHICH WAS CERTIFICATED ROTORCRAFT PILOT, STATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS NAVIGATING WITH THE GPS AND DECIDED TO LAND AND GET A MAP FROM UNDERNEATH A SEAT AND USE IT TO NAVIGATE WITH TO THEIR DESTINATION. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THEY DEPARTED WITH MR. MORRIS AT THE CONTROLS. A VERY SHORT TIME ELAPSED AND MR. MORRIS DECIDED TO LAND. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOSS IN ROTOR RPM DURING THE LANDING APPROACH AND MR. MORRIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN REGAINING THE ROTOR RPM, WITH THE FINAL OUTCOME BEING DYNAMIC ROLLOVER OF THE HELICOPTER WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS OR VIBRATIONS OR POWER PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING. SEE ATTACHED SHEET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.