- Date
- September 2, 2009, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Koliganek, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6468VHelio H-295
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20090902049569A
- Case key
- 74650
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power during cruise flight due to water in the fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, passenger flight in conjunction with his fish guiding business when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he was flying about 700 feet above ground level in his float-equipped, single-engine airplane, when he began transferring fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tank, and the engine lost power. After a failed attempt to restart the engine, he said he was forced to land the airplane on the tundra. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. He further reported that it had been raining for several days, and he should have sumped the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. He also stated that he should have initiated the fuel transfer at a higher altitude over terrain that was suitable for landing. He said the float attachments and the fuselage were damaged during the accident.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, passenger flight in conjunction with his fish guiding business when the accident occurred. The pilot reported he was flying about 700 feet above ground level in his float-equipped, single-engine airplane, when he began transferring fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tank, and the engine quit. After a failed attempt to restart the engine, he said he was forced to land the airplane on the tundra. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. He further reported that it had been raining for several days, and he should have sumped the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. He also stated that he should have initiated the fuel transfer at a higher altitude over terrain that was suitable for landing. He said the float attachments and the fuselage were damaged during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6468V
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1424
- Airframe hours
- 7,041
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480 SERIES, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Kirk Gay, doing business as Valhalla Lodge
- Registered owner
- Alaska Safari Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 2009 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- NDN · Nondalton, AK
- Destination
- Nushagak, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 12, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16,318 total · 1,661 in this make and model · 16,243 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 889 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6468V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.