# NTSB GAA15CA097: Bell 47G 3B 1, N112SH, Fort Pierre, SD, May 28, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 28, 2015, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Fort Pierre, SD - Coordinates: 44.493888, -100.746109 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4939&lon=-100.7461&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Autorotation: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 27, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91268 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91268/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91268 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA097 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the subsequent autorotation landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Preflight or dispatch event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 355 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/030/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Bell 47G-3B-1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1181028), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during cruise flight the helicopter's engine had a total loss of power and he made an emergency landing in a wheat field. He said the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom and sheared off the tail rotor during the landing. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor, tail rotor drive shaft, and tail boom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported using a placard as a reference for a fuel tank sight gauge. A postaccident examination by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector revealed approximately three and one-half gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank and approximately one and one-half gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. This make and model of helicopter has a capacity of 61 gallons of fuel of which 57.5 gallons of fuel is useable and three and one-half gallons of fuel are unusable. The fuel lines to the engine are located in the rear of the fuel tanks. A pitch attitude change such as a banking turn or nose down attitude, could have caused a disruption in fuel flow to the engine with the low fuel levels that were found in the fuel tanks. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that during cruise flight the helicopter's engine had a total loss of power and he made an emergency landing in a wheat field. He said the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom and sheared off the tail rotor during the landing. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor, tail rotor drive shaft, and tail boom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported using a placard as a reference for a fuel tank sight gauge. A postaccident examination by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector revealed approximately three and one-half gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank and approximately one and one-half gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. This make and model of helicopter has a capacity of 61 gallons of fuel of which 57.5 gallons of fuel is useable and three and one-half gallons of fuel are unusable. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N112SH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N112SH), registered now, S/N 6567, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47G 3B 1 - Registry model: [Bell 47G-3B-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-1) (registry code 118103A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C10D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c10d) (registry code 54172, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 6567 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 7343 - Engines: Allison 250-C18 turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Scotts Helicopter Service - Registered owner: Scotts Helicopter Service - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 21, 2015 - Destination: Fort Pierre, SD ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 12, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 8,000 total, 550 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: KPIR, 21 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 20150528007859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150528007859A), May 28, 2015: Bell 47G-3B-1, Fort Pierre, SD, Substantial damage. On may 29, 2015, at approximately 1045 local, the rapid city flight standards district office (rap FSDO) received notification of an aircraft accident. The… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91268. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 558 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428873&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 – Tail Boom (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 251 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428874&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Tail%20Boom%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 – Left Fuel Tank (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428875&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20Left%20Fuel%20Tank%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 3 – Right Fuel Tank (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20%E2%80%93%20Right%20Fuel%20Tank%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 4 – Fuel Placard (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428877&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20%E2%80%93%20Fuel%20Placard%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.