- Date
- May 1, 1990, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brookneal, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4034ZHiller UH-12ET
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900501013189A
- Case key
- 11590
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
The pilot's improper preflight and improper in-flight planning/decision. Pilot fatigue was a related factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After running out of fuel, the helicopter was autorotated into a wooded area, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot stated that lack of sufficient rest contributed to failing to recognize that the fuel tank could not be completely refueled because the aircraft was parked on a slope during refueling. He also stated that fatigue may have contributed to his decision to try to make it to the airport even though he knew he was running out of fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4034Z
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12ET
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5196
- Airframe hours
- 2,824
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 305 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Summit Helicopters, Inc
- Registered owner
- Summit Helicopters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 22, 1990 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- Mt Laurel, VA
- Destination
- OV4 · Brookneal, VA
- Airport
- OV4 · Brookneal/Campbell County, runway 24, 3,800 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,245 total · 2,174 in this make and model · 5,825 as pilot in command · 118 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LYH, 1 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.
Other investigations on N4034Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.