20130725014219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E · Hilo, HI · July 25, 2013

Date: July 25, 2013 · 13:16 local
Place: Hilo, HI
Airport: Hilo International.
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: K2DA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N500PH
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13CA342
Reported as: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E
Reported engine: Allison C20-250-B
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,100 total80 in this make and model85 in the last 90 days

N500PHRegistered now · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369ES/N 0187E Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E

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.

The accident pilot was assigned to fly aircraft N500PH, an HU-369 helicopter, for a flightseeing tour of Hawaii island at 12:30 p.m. the pilot who had previously flown N500PH radioed in that the aircraft would need fuel prior to the next flight. The out going pilot reported the aircraft had about 125 to 150 pounds of fuel on board when he left. The aircraft was not refuled. The accident pilot stated he estimated fuel at about 200 pounds on takeoff. After two turns around the volcano, the pilot realized fuel was low and tried to return to Hilo airport. The fuel low light came on. The pilot elected to continue flight, rather than land. The pilot stated he felt landing might cause a hazard as people might gather around the aircraft on landing. One of the passengers was concerned about the fuel state and queried the pilot. The pilot told the passenger that fuel was ok. On short final, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed an autorotational landing.

As the FAA filed it

THE ACCIDENT PILOT WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY AIRCRAFT N500PH, AN HU-369 HELICOPTER, FOR A FLIGHTSEEING TOUR OF HAWAII ISLAND AT 12:30 P.M. THE PILOT WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN N500PH RADIOED IN THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NEED FUEL PRIOR TO THE NEXT FLIGHT. THE OUT GOING PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 125 TO 150 POUNDS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REFULED. THE ACCIDENT PILOT STATED HE ESTIMATED FUEL AT ABOUT 200 POUNDS ON TAKEOFF. AFTER TWO TURNS AROUND THE VOLCANO, THE PILOT REALIZED FUEL WAS LOW AND TRIED TO RETURN TO HILO AIRPORT. THE FUEL LOW LIGHT CAME ON. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT, RATHER THAN LAND. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT LANDING MIGHT CAUSE A HAZARD AS PEOPLE MIGHT GATHER AROUND THE AIRCRAFT ON LANDING. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUEL STATE AND QUERIED THE PILOT. THE PILOT TOLD THE PASSENGER THAT FUEL WAS OK. ON SHORT FINAL, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATIONAL LANDING.

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 WPR13CA342Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHilo, HIA loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper planning and mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.Jul 25, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N500PH · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20100304028449ICruise/Level Flight · Hilo, HIN500PH, MD500E, because of unspecified mechanical issues made a precautionary landing on the shoreline, 12 miles southeast of the Hilo airport at 1458PST. No reported damage and no injuries.Mar 4, 2010 · No damage