- Date
- March 21, 2025, 15:53 local (19:53 UTC)
- Place
- Chamblee, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5QVBell 206
- Defining event
- Approach: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- TSB Canada, FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250321009559A
- Case key
- 199910
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 inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during approach 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 of the electronic news gathering helicopter reported that he departed the airport on a preplanned flight to obtain video footage at four locations. After filming the four locations, but before returning to the airport, the pilot was contacted via radio about filming a fifth location due to breaking news. While over the fifth location, the cockpit fuel pump caution light illuminated, and the pilot noticed a low fuel level but elected to return to the airport rather than land at a nearby city helipad. While over the airport ramp area at 100 to 150 ft above ground level, the engine “hiccupped” and then lost all power. The pilot attempted an autorotation, but the helicopter landed hard on the ramp area. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The inspector also noted that the fuel tanks were absent of fuel and the cockpit fuel gauge needle was below “E.”
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5QV
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3098
- Airframe hours
- 15,216
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20J, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopters Inc, doing business as Wsb-Tv 2
- Registered owner
- Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 17, 2025
- Airport
- PDK · Dekalb-Peachtree Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 35
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 9, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,783 total · 1,030 in this make and model · 2,706 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- KPDK
- METAR
- KPDK 211953Z AUTO 29007KT 10SM CLR 16/M07 A3008
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.