- Date
- July 9, 2012, 07:09 local (12:09 UTC)
- Place
- Treynor, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2919WBell 47G-3B-2
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120709012379A
- Case key
- 84284
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 fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 2
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 pilot performed a preflight inspection and noted that the 61-gallon fuel tank was just over a quarter full. After about 26 minutes of aerial application runs, the helicopter yawed left, and a warning light flickered. The pilot did not see which light had illuminated. Thinking it was a fuel problem, he checked the fuel quantity gauge, which read two needle-widths below a quarter tank. The pilot continued spraying, and several seconds later the turbine-engine stopped producing power. The pilot turned left and made an autorotation run-on landing to a field. After the helicopter came to a stop, the main rotor blades flexed downward and severed the tail boom. Approximately 1.75 gallons of fuel was drained from the two fuel tanks. The pilot reported that the usual fuel consumption was about 25 gallons per hour and the tanks had about 4 gallons of unusable fuel. The pilot said that there were no mechanical problems before the accident, and the engine was most likely starved of fuel due to the low fuel level and unusual attitudes inherent to helicopter aerial applications.
Factual narrative
The pilot performed a pre-flight inspection and noted the 61-gallon fuel tank was just over a quarter full. After about 26 minutes of aerial application runs, the helicopter yawed left and a warning light flickered. The pilot did not see which light had illuminated. Thinking it was a fuel problem, he checked the fuel quantity gauge, which read two needle-widths below a quarter tank. The pilot continued spraying and several seconds later the turbine-engine stopped producing power. The pilot turned left and made an autorotation run-on landing to a field. After the helicopter came to a stop, the main rotor blades flexed downward and severed the tail boom. Approximately 1.75 gallons of fuel was drained from the two fuel tanks. The pilot reported the usual fuel consumption was about 25 gallons per hour and the tanks had about 4 gallons of unusable fuel. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems prior to the accident and the engine was most likely starved of fuel due to the low fuel level and unusual attitudes inherent to helicopter aerial applications.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2919W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6823
- Airframe hours
- 10,129
- Engine
- Lycoming TV0-435 SER, 280 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Custom Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Custom Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 29, 2012
- Departed
- Treynor, IA
- Destination
- Treynor, IA
- Airport
- None
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,700 total · 850 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB 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 N2919W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.