20140725012019A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5A · Osage, MN · July 25, 2014

Date: July 25, 2014 · 10:45 local
Place: Osage, MN
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: CUHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N161SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14CA391
Reported as: Continental Copters Tomcat MK5A
Reported engine: Lycoming VO-435 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 15,500 total120 in this make and model120 in the last 90 days

N161SHRegistered now · Continental Copters TOMCAT MK5AS/N 1921 · Built 1976 Airframe modelContinental Copters TOMCAT MK5A Engine modelLycoming VO-435 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.

According to the pilot, while performing aerial application, the engine sputtered. He pulled up slightly and the engine smoothed for a few seconds and started sputtering again. Pilot was unable to maintain altitude and landed hard in the field he was treating. Aircraft sustained substantial damage on landing.

As the FAA filed it

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE PULLED UP SLIGHTLY AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND STARTED SPUTTERING AGAIN. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND LANDED HARD IN THE FIELD HE WAS TREATING. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON 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 CEN14CA391Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportOsage, MNThe total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, which resulted in the pilot's forced landing and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the helicopter without resolving the fuel…Jul 25, 2014 · Substantial damage