- Date
- April 19, 1996, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N2329KRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 11, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960419007899A
- Case key
- 19809
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 poor judgment in attempting to refuel the helicopter with the engine (and rotors) operating. Factors relating to the accident were: the gusty wind condition, and close proximity of the vehicle that was allowed to be driven under the turning rotors.
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 of the helicopter returned to his point of departure to pick up some equipment. While there, he elected to refuel the helicopter. A pick-up truck, equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank, was driven to the right side of the helicopter, under the turning rotors, to refuel while the engine was running. The pilot stayed at the controls of the helicopter. Just prior to the start of the refueling operation, a gust of wind caused the main rotor blades to flex and impact the top of the truck's cab. The winds were reported from 170 degrees at 18 gusting 25 knots.
Factual narrative
On April 19, 1996, at 1500 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, N2329K, was substantially damaged while refueling near Franklin, Louisiana. The helicopter owned by Mesquite Helicopters of Alice, Texas, was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight for which no flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, the helicopter returned to the initial point of departure to pick up additional equipment needed in the field. While there, the pilot elected to refuel the helicopter so he signaled to his father his intention to refuel. According to the operator the accident helicopter was routinely "hot refueled."
The pilot's father drove a pick up truck equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank under the rotor disk of the running helicopter to accomplish the refueling task. The pilot said that he stayed at the controls of the helicopter. He further stated that just prior to the start of the refueling operation, a gust of wind caused the main rotor blades to flex impacting the top of the truck's cab.
The helicopter rolled to the right into the truck resulting in structural damage to the helicopter and minor damage to the truck. Neither the truck driver nor his passenger were injured. The top of the truck's cab was measured at 70 inches above the ground. The rotor radius of the R22 helicopter is 151 inches, with 105 inches clearance from the top of the mast to the ground.
In the enclosed pilot/operator report, the pilot recommends that "one major way to prevent this accident would be to not refuel the helicopter with the engine running and blades turning, or at least make sure to be out of the area of the blades."
At the time of the accidents the winds at the accident site were reported from 170 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2329K
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2134
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jerry Satterfield
- Registered owner
- Mesquite Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 1995
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,868 total · 640 in this make and model · 4,278 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.