- Date
- August 3, 1991, 14:29 local (19:29 UTC)
- Place
- Michigan City, IN
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N57972Hiller 1345
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910803031519A
- Case key
- 15142
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
Fuel exhaustion due the pilot's delay in refueling. Factors related to the accident were pressure induced by others (passenger), and the absence of suitable terrain.
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
The pilot said that while returning from a flight filming session, the engine lost power. An emergency descent was attempted short of the airport. The helicopter crashed in a wooded area. Post accident investigation revealed the loss of power was due to fuel exhaustion.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57972
- Reported as
- Hiller 1345
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1345
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Allan J. Endries
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- MGC · Michigan City, IN
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
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 20 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft broken
- Observed at
- GYY, 20 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 N57972 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.