- Date
- February 19, 1987, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Coalinga, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N46991Hiller OH23D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 7, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870219006079A
- Case key
- 25325
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
The plt reported that before he began the agricultural aerial application flight he noted that the fuel gauge was inoperative. The plt completed two flights, returning to the loading area after each flight. After completing the third flight and while returning to the loading area the engine sustained a total power loss. During the ensuing autorotation the plt flared too high and lost tail rotor authority. The tail rotor struck a rising embankment and the helicopter sustained a hard landing on its right skid. The post-accident investigation disclosed that the fuel tank and the fuel control inlet lines did not contain any fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46991
- Reported as
- Hiller OH23D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 962
- Airframe hours
- 11,043
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- San Joaquin Helicopters
- Registered owner
- San Joaquin Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 12, 1986 · 10 hours before
- Airport
- CLG · Coalinga
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 400 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N46991 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.