20031125033629I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bell 206B · Venice, LA · November 25, 2003

Date: November 25, 2003 · 07:15 local
Place: Venice, LA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: TXEA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N125TA
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04IA043
Reported as: Bell 206B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,700 total150 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N125TARegistered now · Bell 206BS/N 1315 · Built 1974 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-shaft

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.

(-23) The aircraft departed pascagoula, ms and was enroute to Venice, LA. While enroute, the pilot noticed that the fuel quantity indicator was decreasing erratically. At approximately seven miles from the destination, the pilot noticed the fuel quantity indicator jumped from fourteen gallons to seven gallons. At approximately one minute later and five miles from the destination the fuel pump light flickered and fifteen seconds later the engine flamed out. During investigation the forward boost pump and switch were found to be inoperative.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PASCAGOULA, MS AND WAS ENROUTE TO VENICE, LA. WHILE ENROUTE, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS DECREASING ERRATICALLY. AT APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES FROM THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR JUMPED FROM FOURTEEN GALLONS TO SEVEN GALLONS. AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE LATER AND FIVE MILES FROM THE DESTINATION THE FUEL PUMP LIGHT FLICKERED AND FIFTEEN SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT. DURING INVESTIGATION THE FORWARD BOOST PUMP AND SWITCH WERE FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE.

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 FTW04IA043Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportVenice, LAThe failure of the forward boost pump while in cruise flight while operating with less than 10 gallons of fuel onboard, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the inoperative forward fuel boost pump caution light switch.Nov 25, 2003 · Minor damage