- Date
- July 25, 2014, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Osage, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N161SHContinental Copters Tomcat MK5A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 2, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140725012019A
- Case key
- 89751
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 total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, which resulted in the pilot's forced landing and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the helicopter without resolving the fuel contamination.
Findings · 4
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
While conducting a spray operation at 15 feet above the ground, the helicopter's engine sputtered so the pilot pulled up on the collective. The engine momentarily stopped sputtering but then began to run rough and continued to sputter. The pilot made a forced landing and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled on its side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor blades. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed water contamination in the gascolator and the fuel tank. Also, water contamination was found in the company's bulk fuel supply tank. The pilot noted that he checked the helicopter's fuel tank three times and the samples contained water every time. The pilot discarded the samples and continued to operate with the contaminated fuel.
Factual narrative
While conducting a spray operation at 15 feet above the ground, the helicopter's engine sputtered so the pilot pulled up on the collective. The engine momentarily stopped sputtering but then began to run rough and continued to sputter. The pilot made a forced landing and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled on its side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor blades. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed water contamination in the gascolator and the fuel tank. Also, water contamination was found in the company's bulk fuel supply tank. The pilot noted that he checked the helicopter's fuel tank three times and the samples contained water every time. The pilot discarded the samples and continued to operate with the contaminated fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N161SH
- Reported as
- Continental Copters Tomcat MK5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1921
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 2,132
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Scott Churchill
- Registered owner
- Dianne Churchill
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 31, 2014
- Departed
- Osage, MN
- Destination
- Osage, MN
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 12, 2013
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 15,500 total · 120 in this make and model · 15,300 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KPKD, 12 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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.