# NTSB ATL00LA038: Aerospatiale SA315B, N230US, Springfield, GA, March 24, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 24, 2000, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: Springfield, GA - Coordinates: 32.359134, -81.299217 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3591&lon=-81.2992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 51033 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL00LA038 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51033/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA038 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning resulting in fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - roadway/highway ## Analysis The pilot was conducting an aerial application of fertilizer on a pine tree forest. He departed with 60 gallons of fuel, which equates to 45 minutes of useable fuel, and had been airborne for approximately 50 minutes. As the helicopter hovered 30 ft. over the loading crews, the engine lost power and began to settle. The pilot released the external load and maneuvered away from the crews on the ground. The helicopter collided with the ground along a narrow forest road. The operations manager stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the engine. No evidence of fuel was observed at the accident site, and no fuel was recovered from the helicopter's fuel system. ## Factual narrative On March 24, 2000, approximately 1150 eastern standard time, an Aerospatiale SA315B helicopter, N230US, operated by Southern States Cooperative Forestry Unit, collided with the ground following a loss of engine power while performing an aerial application 10 miles west of Springfield, Georgia. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local agricultural application flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated from Guyton, Georgia, at 1100. According to an operations manager with Southern States Cooperative Forestry Unit, the purpose of the flight was to conduct an aerial application of fertilizer on a pine tree forest. The pilot departed with 60 gallons of fuel, which is approximately 45 minutes of useable fuel, and had been airborne for approximately 50 minutes. As the helicopter hovered 30 feet above ground level over the loading crews, the engine lost power and the helicopter began to settle. The pilot released the external load and maneuvered away from the crews on the ground. The main rotor blades began striking the trees approximately 18 feet above the ground. The helicopter collided with the ground along a narrow forest road, sustaining damage to the right skid, main and tail rotor blades, and right side of the cabin. According to the company's operations manager, there were no mechanical malfunctions with the engine at the time the accident occurred. According to an FAA inspector present at the accident scene, no evidence of fuel was observed at the accident site, and no fuel was recovered from the helicopter's fuel system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N230US](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N230US-2019-08-29), registration cancelled 2019-08-29, S/N 2638, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerospatiale SA315B - Registry model: [Aerospatiale SA315B](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa315b) (registry code 8680615) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARTOUSTEIIIB](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-artousteiiib) (registry code 60003, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2638 - Airframe hours: 5913 - Engines: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB 625 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Southern States Cooperative - Registered owner: Roberts Aircraft Co. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 21, 2000, 39 hours before - Departed: NONE, GUYTON, GA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 14,483 total, 10 in this make and model, 14,483 as pilot in command, 135 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SAV, 25 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000324006329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000324006329A), Mar 24, 2000: Springfield, GA, No damage. (-23) Notified of accident at approxiamtely 1400 hours on 03/24/00. Traveled from airframe components in garden city, GA to Springfield,GA. The crash site was… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.