# NTSB ERA18TA076: Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L Hummingbird, N4045, Harrisville, NY, January 28, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: January 28, 2018, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Harrisville, NY - Coordinates: 44.297779, -75.246948 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2978&lon=-75.2469&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 5, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96676 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18TA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96676/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96676 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18TA076 ## Probable cause The failure of an electric fuel pump, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel pumps](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 71 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05630MH), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in an experimental amateur-built helicopter that was equipped with an automobile engine. When the airplane was about 6 miles from the destination and at a cruise altitude of 500 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered once and then lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation into a low-lying valley with short trees. During the landing, the main and tail rotors contacted the trees, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident testing revealed that one of the two electric fuel pumps did not operate when direct current was applied to it, indicating that the pump had failed during flight. According to the manufacturer, both fuel pumps are to be used for takeoff and landing, but only one fuel pump is necessary during cruise flight. The pilot was using one fuel pump during cruise flight, and the fuel pump that failed was likely the one in use at the time. The fuel pump failure resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On January 28, 2018, about 1530 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L Hummingbird helicopter, N4045, operated by the commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight near Harrisville, New York. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Potsdam Municipal Airport (PTD), Potsdam, New York, about 1500. The flight was destined to the pilot's private residence in Harrisville, New York.The pilot reported that helicopter was 6 miles from the destination at 500 feet above ground level, when the engine sputtered once and then lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation into a low-lying valley with short trees. During the landing, the main rotor and tailrotor contacted trees, resulting in substantial damage. The landing gear also sustained damage. The helicopter was assembled in 2010 and equipped with a Chevrolet LS3 engine. At the time of the accident, the airframe and engine had accumulated 456.8 total hours of operation. The helicopter's most recent annual inspection was completed October 29, 2017. The helicopter had flown 5.3 hours from the time of that inspection, until the accident. Examination of the wreckage and testing of an electric fuel pump (one of two Airtex External Electric Fuel Pump, model No. E8445) by the pilot revealed that one of the two electric fuel pumps did not operate when direct current was applied to it. The pilot added that the operating manual stated that both fuel pumps should be on for takeoff and landing; however, only one fuel pump is required for cruise flight. The pilot added that it would have been safer to have both fuel pumps on at all times. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4045](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4045-2022-02-05), registration cancelled 2022-02-05, S/N 1079, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VERTICAL AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES 260L HUMMINGBIRD (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD](https://openairdocs.org/model/vertical-aviation-technologies-260l-hummingbird) (registry code 05630MH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 1079 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 457 - Engines: Chevrolet LS3 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 29, 2017, 5 hours before - Departed: PTD, Potsdam, NY - Destination: NONE, Harrisville, NY - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,946 total, 78 in this make and model, 1,176 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,900 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: GTB, 25 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 20180128006169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180128006169A), Jan 28, 2018: Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD, Harrisville, NY, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed potsdam kptd around 3 pm on Sunday, January 28. I was about 6 miles from Harrisville on a direct course at 80 KTS and 500 feet AGL. I felt… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 12, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96676. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465131&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Excerpts from Flight Manual (item 2, .PDF, 388 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465135&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpts%20from%20Flight%20Manual-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 3, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465137&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 360 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465138&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.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.