20230302001889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1B · Orland, CA · March 2, 2023

Date: March 2, 2023 · 14:30 local
Place: Orland, CA
Airport: Haigh Field
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: P8QG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N234SJ
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA118
Reported as: Bell UH-1B
Reported engine: Lycoming T-53 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 19,550 total35 in this make and model

N234SJRegistered now · Bell UH-1BS/N 388 · Built 1962 Airframe modelBell UH-1B Engine modelLycoming T-53 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.

After taking off from county road 24, pilot reported running out of fuel during aerial application on an orchard. The pilot said in a verbal statement that it was his first day on the job. He mentioned that he did not have very much time in that type of aircraft and that he was nervous and distracted which led him to forgetting to fuel the aircraft. Signatures seen in the pictures of the event indicate that the skids collapsed.

The main rotors indicate that there was no power to the engine. Wreckage and ground scars indicate that the aircraft did not have any forward movement. There does not show any indications of fire, which coincides with the pilot's statement that there was no fuel in the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM COUNTY ROAD 24, PILOT REPORTED RUNNING OUT OF FUEL DURING AERIAL APPLICATION ON AN ORCHARD. THE PILOT SAID IN A VERBAL STATEMENT THAT IT WAS HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB. HE MENTIONED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE VERY MUCH TIME IN THAT TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE WAS NERVOUS AND DISTRACTED WHICH LED HIM TO FORGETTING TO FUEL THE AIRCRAFT. SIGNATURES SEEN IN THE PICTURES OF THE EVENT INDICATE THAT THE SKIDS COLLAPSED.

THE MAIN ROTORS INDICATE THAT THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE ENGINE. WRECKAGE AND GROUND SCARS INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ANY FORWARD MOVEMENT. THERE DOES NOT SHOW ANY INDICATIONS OF FIRE, WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE PILOT'S STATEMENT THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT.

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 WPR23LA118Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportOrland, CAThe pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power.Mar 2, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N234SJ · 1

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

Accident 20031016034579APwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Durham, CA(-23) Mr. Porter was simulating part 136 spray operations as a demonstration for the 1st grade class of Durham elementary school. The class was on a field trip and was watching the simulated spraying of a field by Mr. Porter. After the 3rd pass of the field,…Oct 16, 2003 · Substantial damage