What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Information is preliminary and is to subject update and or change.
The purpose of the CFR 91 flight was to conduct power line patrol for bangor hydro. The patrol terminated at bar harbor at which point bangor hydro observer disembarked. The pilot was returning to home base in Whitefield, ME (ME59). Fuel gauge indicated 225-250 lbs of fuel on board. The pilot reported about 20 minutes in the flight, the master caution light flickered and fuel guage indicated 100-125 lbs of fuel. Five (5) minutes later, master caution flickered again, fuel gauge indiacted 50-100 lbs. Then about 30 seconds later the engine flamed out. Pilot indicated his altitude was about was about 500 ft. AGL and .9 miles from the helipad. At this point the pilot executed an autorotation into the smallest trees he could find. Aircraft impacted the ground in the up right position. Aircraft received substantial damage. This statement was taken verbally via the phone on 05/31/2014. The pilot did not provide a written statement until almost seven days later. He indicated the reseason was so he could have the aircraft owners & pilots association (aopa) review his statement and provide advise.
The pilots NTSB statement and verbal are slightly different in regards to the time frame of the master caution lights and when asked why they different he indicated" he did recall saying that" end.
As the FAA filed it
INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND IS TO SUBJECT UPDATE AND OR CHANGE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CFR 91 FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT POWER LINE PATROL FOR BANGOR HYDRO. THE PATROL TERMINATED AT BAR HARBOR AT WHICH POINT BANGOR HYDRO OBSERVER DISEMBARKED. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HOME BASE IN WHITEFIELD, ME (ME59). FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 225-250 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE PILOT REPORTED ABOUT 20 MINUTES IN THE FLIGHT, THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT FLICKERED AND FUEL GUAGE INDICATED 100-125 LBS OF FUEL. FIVE (5) MINUTES LATER, MASTER CAUTION FLICKERED AGAIN, FUEL GAUGE INDIACTED 50-100 LBS. THEN ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT. PILOT INDICATED HIS ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT WAS ABOUT 500 FT. AGL AND .9 MILES FROM THE HELIPAD. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION INTO THE SMALLEST TREES HE COULD FIND. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN THE UP RIGHT POSITION. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THIS STATEMENT WAS TAKEN VERBALLY VIA THE PHONE ON 05/31/2014. THE PILOT DID NOT PROVIDE A WRITTEN STATEMENT UNTIL ALMOST SEVEN DAYS LATER. HE INDICATED THE RESEASON WAS SO HE COULD HAVE THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS & PILOTS ASSOCIATION (AOPA) REVIEW HIS STATEMENT AND PROVIDE ADVISE.
THE PILOTS NTSB STATEMENT AND VERBAL ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN REGARDS TO THE TIME FRAME OF THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHTS AND WHEN ASKED WHY THEY DIFFERENT HE INDICATED" HE DID RECALL SAYING THAT" END.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.