- Date
- August 30, 1984, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Apple Springs, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48930Hughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840830048069A
- Case key
- 21451
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
After dispensing a load of gelled gasoline, to burn windrows of brush, the plt landed & refilled the chemical tank. Before taking off, he checked his fuel with a dip stick & decided there was enough remaining to dispense a 2nd load. While flying downwind & dispensing at about 15 ft over a windrow, the eng lost power from fuel exhaustion. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard on soft terrain, the right skid dug in & the acft rolled over. The plt stated that he should have used time as a measurement of fuel instead of comparing it to gel use. He had flown about 3 hrs without refueling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48930
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1210033
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Custom Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,905 total · 52 in this make and model · 1,796 as pilot in command · 102 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.