What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 10, 2009, at approximately 1245 eastern standard time(EST), N122AK, a Robinson R-22 beta, serial number 2028 landed in an open area located at 2780 north powerline road, Pompano Beach, Florida, 33060. No damage to the helicopter was observed and neither of the two occupants were injured. According to the pilot-in-command, he had elected to land in this location as a precautionary measure due to a low fuel light indication. The pilot-in-command is a commercial rotorcraft pilot with a rotorcraft flight instructor rating. A second, student, pilot was onboard the helicopter as well. According to the flight instructor, he was giving instruction in accordance with 14 CFR 61, and had been conducting a cross-country flight. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated they departed pomoano Beach airport (kpmp) at approximately 1015 EST and flew to palm Beach county glades airport(kphk) approximately 45 nautical miles (NM) away, where they made three touch and go landings. When asked if they landed and shut down the helicopter at kphk the CFI stated no. they then flew to airglades airport (21S) approximately 19 NM away. The CFI stated that they made a full stop landing and shut the helicopter down. No fuel was taken on at 21S. This was confirmed by the local fixed base operator (FBO) who stated that the helicopter landed in front of the FBO and shut down around mid-day. The CFI then departed from 21S back to kpmp. He stated that approximately one mile north west of 2780 north powerline road the low fuel light illuminated. The fuel gauge indicated 1/4 of a tank of fuel remaining. Not knowing whether the fuel indicating system was incorrect or if the low fuel warning light was malfunctioning, the CFI took the controls of the helicopter and looked for a suitable landing place as a precaution. On scene the main and auxiliary fuel tanks were inspected through the fuel filler point with a flashlight. Both tanks were observed to have approximately 1/4 inch of fuel remaining. When battery power was applied, the fuel indication system read empty. The CFI stated his preflight planning provided for sufficient fuel for his intended flight. The fuel gauge was check once again using battery power after refueling the aircraft with twelve gallons of fuel at the field sight. The main tank indicated approximately 1/2 full. The CFI was insistent that at the time the low fuel light illuminated the fuel indicating system was indicating 1/4 of a tank. After refueling, the CFI then departed back to kpmp.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 10, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 1245 EASTERN STANDARD TIME(EST), N122AK, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA, SERIAL NUMBER 2028 LANDED IN AN OPEN AREA LOCATED AT 2780 NORTH POWERLINE ROAD, POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA, 33060. NO DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED AND NEITHER OF THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, HE HAD ELECTED TO LAND IN THIS LOCATION AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DUE TO A LOW FUEL LIGHT INDICATION. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND IS A COMMERCIAL ROTORCRAFT PILOT WITH A ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING. A SECOND, STUDENT, PILOT WAS ONBOARD THE HELICOPTER AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, HE WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 61, AND HAD BEEN CONDUCTING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) STATED THEY DEPARTED POMOANO BEACH AIRPORT (KPMP) AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 EST AND FLEW TO PALM BEACH COUNTY GLADES AIRPORT(KPHK) APPROXIMATELY 45 NAUTICAL MILES (NM) AWAY, WHERE THEY MADE THREE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. WHEN ASKED IF THEY LANDED AND SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AT KPHK THE CFI STATED NO. THEY THEN FLEW TO AIRGLADES AIRPORT (21S) APPROXIMATELY 19 NM AWAY. THE CFI STATED THAT THEY MADE A FULL STOP LANDING AND SHUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN. NO FUEL WAS TAKEN ON AT 21S. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE LOCAL FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO) WHO STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN FRONT OF THE FBO AND SHUT DOWN AROUND MID-DAY. THE CFI THEN DEPARTED FROM 21S BACK TO KPMP. HE STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE NORTH WEST OF 2780 NORTH POWERLINE ROAD THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 1/4 OF A TANK OF FUEL REMAINING. NOT KNOWING WHETHER THE FUEL INDICATING SYSTEM WAS INCORRECT OR IF THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS MALFUNCTIONING, THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS OF THE HELICOPTER AND LOOKED FOR A SUITABLE LANDING PLACE AS A PRECAUTION. ON SCENE THE MAIN AND AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE INSPECTED THROUGH THE FUEL FILLER POINT WITH A FLASHLIGHT. BOTH TANKS WERE OBSERVED TO HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH OF FUEL REMAINING. WHEN BATTERY POWER WAS APPLIED, THE FUEL INDICATION SYSTEM READ EMPTY. THE CFI STATED HIS PREFLIGHT PLANNING PROVIDED FOR SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR HIS INTENDED FLIGHT. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS CHECK ONCE AGAIN USING BATTERY POWER AFTER REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT WITH TWELVE GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE FIELD SIGHT. THE MAIN TANK INDICATED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 FULL. THE CFI WAS INSISTENT THAT AT THE TIME THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE FUEL INDICATING SYSTEM WAS INDICATING 1/4 OF A TANK. AFTER REFUELING, THE CFI THEN DEPARTED BACK TO KPMP.