# NTSB DFW07CA065: McDonnell Douglas 600N, N451DL, Vicksburg, MS, February 6, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 6, 2007, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Vicksburg, MS - Coordinates: 32.454723, -90.972778 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4547&lon=-90.9728&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Jackson, MS - NTSB case key (mKey): 65259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW07CA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65259/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07CA065 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as result of a fuel transfer check valve stuck in the closed position. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - fuel system,transfer pump - blocked(partial) (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The helicopter landed hard following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot was en route to refuel his single-engine turbo-shaft powered helicopter. The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report (NTSB form 6120.1) that the aircraft was in cruise flight at an indicated airspeed of 115 knots while at 500 feet above ground level when the engine lost power without warning. The pilot added that following the loss of engine power, he immediately entered autorotation and landed on a logging road surrounded by tall trees. The aircraft sustained structural damage to the tailboom and main rotor blades during the forced landing. The helicopter came to rest in the upright position. A detailed investigation was conducted on the fuel system by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a representative from the helicopter manufacturer. Their investigation revealed that a fuel transfer check valve located in the aft section of the fuel tank that receives fuel from the forward section of the fuel tank, was found stuck in the closed position, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. ## Factual narrative The 3,337-hour commercial helicopter pilot reported a loss of engine power during cruise flight while en route to refuel his single-engine turbo-shaft powered helicopter. The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report (NTSB form 6120.1) that the aircraft was in cruise flight at an indicated airspeed of 115 knots while at 500 feet above ground level when the engine lost power without warning. The pilot added that following the loss of engine power, he immediately entered autorotation and landed to a logging road surrounded by tall trees. The aircraft sustained structural damage to the tailboom and main rotor blades during the forced landing. The helicopter came to rest in the upright position. The pilot and his passenger were not injured and were able to egress the helicopter unassisted. A detailed investigation was conducted on the fuel system by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a representative from the helicopter manufacturer. Their investigation revealed that a fuel transfer check valve located in the aft section of the fuel tank, which receives fuel from the forward section of the fuel tank, was found stuck in the closed position, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. Weather at the time of the accident at the nearest weather reporting station located approximately 16 miles south of the site of the mishap was reported as clear skies, visibility 10 miles, winds at 210 degrees at 17 miles per hour, with a temperature of 17 degrees Centigrade. ## Aircraft - Registration: N451DL (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas 600N - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: RN042 - Airframe hours: 892 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C47M 808 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: K-TEK AircraftT LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2006, 50 hours before - Departed: GNF, Granada, MS - Destination: KTVR, Vicksburg, MS - Airport: KTVR, Vicksburg Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 3,337 total, 209 in this make and model, 3,140 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 17 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Observed at: KTVR, 15 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 20070206001929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070206001929A), Feb 6, 2007: Doug 600N, Vicksburg, MS, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft lost power in cruise flight. Autorotated onto logging road making a hard landing. Tail separated from aircraft. 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.