- Date
- April 2, 1992, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fayette, MS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N322ABell 47-D-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920402009959A
- Case key
- 33079
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 in commands failure to insure the proper fuel quantity for the flight was placed on the aircraft and his failure to monitor fuel quantity during flight resulting in 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
Plt stated that he topped the fuel tanks to the 29 gallon level prior to flight. One hour after takeoff the eng quit. He stated the fuel strainer drain had leaked causing fuel exhaustion and loss of power. Two FAA inspectors who inspected the acft after the accident found no evidence of pre or post crash fuel leakage. The fuel strainer drain valve was found to operate normally with no evidence of leakage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N322A
- Reported as
- Bell 47-D-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- WH1001
- Airframe hours
- 4,841
- Engine
- Franklin O-235-D, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Darre J. Ward, doing business as Ward Aviation
- Registered owner
- Darre J. Ward
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 21, 1992 · 6 hours before
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
- 47
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21,084 total · 7,373 in this make and model · 21,084 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN, 31 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.
Other investigations on N322A · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.