20090712010339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr SH-2R · Sequim, WA · July 12, 2009

Date: July 12, 2009 · 19:15 local
Place: Sequim, WA
Airport: Diamond Point Airstrip
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N370LR
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09CA342
Reported as: Amtr SH2R
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,200 total105 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N370LRRegistration cancelled Mar 24, 2010 · Mid-South Custom Craft SH-2RS/N 553 · Built 2000 Airframe modelMid-South Custom Craft SH-2R Engine modelLycoming IO-320 seriesReciprocating

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) Pilot stated that he was in a bit of a hurry to beat the sunset and had gotten flustered when a caravan taxi around him while he was performing his run-up. The pilot stated that he uses the header fuel tank during taxi and run-up and that it is on his checklist to switch to the main fuel tank prior to take-off. The pilot stated that he had used his checklist but some how forgot to switch his tanks to the mains. The pilot stated that he had overflown the Diamond Point airport at 3500 ft headed north when the aircraft lost power while out over the water. The pilot stated that he turned back to the airport and had turned his boost pump but the engine power never came up. The pilot stated that he was to occupied flying the aircraft and that he had failed to switch the tanks to the mains. Inspection of the main fuel tanks and noted that they were approximately half full of fuel.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS IN A BIT OF A HURRY TO BEAT THE SUNSET AND HAD GOTTEN FLUSTERED WHEN A CARAVAN TAXI AROUND HIM WHILE HE WAS PERFORMING HIS RUN-UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE USES THE HEADER FUEL TANK DURING TAXI AND RUN-UP AND THAT IT IS ON HIS CHECKLIST TO SWITCH TO THE MAIN FUEL TANK PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD USED HIS CHECKLIST BUT SOME HOW FORGOT TO SWITCH HIS TANKS TO THE MAINS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD OVERFLOWN THE DIAMOND POINT AIRPORT AT 3500 FT HEADED NORTH WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER WHILE OUT OVER THE WATER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND HAD TURNED HIS BOOST PUMP BUT THE ENGINE POWER NEVER CAME UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TO OCCUPIED FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE HAD FAILED TO SWITCH THE TANKS TO THE MAINS. INSPECTION OF THE MAIN FUEL TANKS AND NOTED THAT THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY HALF FULL OF FUEL.

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 WPR09CA342Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSequim, WAThe total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to reposition the fuel selector to the main tank. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to properly complete the pre-takeoff checklist.Jul 12, 2009 · Substantial damage