What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he performed a preflight before flight and no evidence of contaminated fuel. Pilot stated that during an aerial application flight his helicopter lost power during a turn. He impacted the ground in a clearing. Upon investigation evidence of contaminated fuel was evident at the aircraft fuel filter, fuel nozzle screen, engine fuel filter. Further investigation revealed evidence of water was in the aircraft fuel tank. The aircraft had refueled using a tanker truck at the spray site. Fuel samples taken from the tanker truck fuel hose and the sump drain with no evidence of water. The tank truck fuel filter was removed. Evidence of water was evident in the fuel drained from the truck fuel filter and the filter was enlarged.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT BEFORE FLIGHT AND NO EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATED FUEL. PILOT STATED THAT DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT HIS HELICOPTER LOST POWER DURING A TURN. HE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A CLEARING. UPON INVESTIGATION EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATED FUEL WAS EVIDENT AT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL FILTER, FUEL NOZZLE SCREEN, ENGINE FUEL FILTER. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF WATER WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT HAD REFUELED USING A TANKER TRUCK AT THE SPRAY SITE. FUEL SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE TANKER TRUCK FUEL HOSE AND THE SUMP DRAIN WITH NO EVIDENCE OF WATER. THE TANK TRUCK FUEL FILTER WAS REMOVED. EVIDENCE OF WATER WAS EVIDENT IN THE FUEL DRAINED FROM THE TRUCK FUEL FILTER AND THE FILTER WAS ENLARGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N57PH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.