# NTSB CEN11CA068: Schweizer 300C, N299RJ, Broomfield, CO, November 14, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 14, 2010, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.945835, -105.02444 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9458&lon=-105.0244&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 77800 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77800/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77800 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA068 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper execution of an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, while returning back to his home airport the helicopter's engine began to sputter. He elected to perform a precautionary landing and, while descending to an unoccupied football field, the engine lost total power. During touchdown, the helicopter landed hard and spun counterclockwise before coming to rest in the upright position, substantially damaging the tailboom. An on-scene examination of the helicopter revealed that both fuel tanks were empty and that no fuel was observed underneath the wreckage or on the field. After adding fuel, the engine the helicopter operator was able to run the engine at various power settings with no anomalies. ## Factual narrative While returning back to his home field, the single-engine helicopter's engine began sputtering. The private pilot began looking for an open area to perform a precautionary landing. While descending for an unoccupied football field, the engine quit. The pilot continued the autorotation to the field. During the landing, the helicopter landed hard and spun counterclockwise before coming to rest in the upright position. Substantial damage was sustained to the tailboom. During an on-scene examination of the helicopter, the fuel tanks were both found empty. No fuel was found underneath the wreckage or on the field. After adding fuel to the engine the helicopter operator was able to run the engine at various engine settings with no anomalies. In addition, the fuel low light passed functional testing. ## Aircraft - Registration: N299RJ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 300C - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: S1883 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mountain One Helicopters - Registered owner: New Course Aviation Co - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KEIK, Erie, CO - Destination: KEIK, Erie, CO - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 65 total, 65 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 5 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 20101114052279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101114052279A), Nov 14, 2010: Schweizer 269C, Broomfield, CO, Substantial damage. On 11/14/2010 at approximately 16:00 LCL, a schwezer 269C helicopter lost power over Broomfield, CO while enroute to erie, CO. Pilot performed a 180… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77800. 63 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1: not obtained (item 1, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341165&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%3A%20not%20obtained-Master.PDF - Witness Statement: Pilot's statement (item 2, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341166&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%3A%20Pilot%27s%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Correspondence: e-mail from operator (item 3, .PDF, 18 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341167&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%3A%20e-mail%20from%20operator-Redacted.PDF 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.