- Date
- May 6, 1991, 20:15 local (May 7, 1991, 03:15 UTC)
- Place
- Yuma, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N304JDBell 47G3B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910506014429A
- Case key
- 27189
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 failure of the pilot-in-command to perform fuel consumption calculations which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
A bell 47G3B1 lost power and collided with trees in an orchard. The helicopter had completed aerial spraying of 60 acres of citrus trees. At the end last pass the engine quit at tree top level. The pilot autorotated the helicopter into the trees. The duration of the flight was about one hour and 45 minutes. The operator reported the helicopter contained 25 gallons of fuel at the last takeoff. After the accident, the helicopter fuel system was examined by the operator. The operator reported that less than one gallon of fuel was drained from the entire fuel system. The operator reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N304JD
- Reported as
- Bell 47G3B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3598
- Airframe hours
- 13,629
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435A1F, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sundown Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Sundown Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 11, 1991 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- YUM · Yuma, CA
- Airport
- YUM · Yuma Int'L
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,408 total · 4,700 in this make and model · 12,885 as pilot in command · 172 in the last 90 days · 78 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.