- Date
- May 19, 1982, 12:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Birkenfeld, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1096LHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820519017419A
- Case key
- 69958
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 pilot stated that the fuel gauge indicated 150 lbs of fuel remaining when he began the flight. Since the drop point was within 2 to 3 minutes of the departure point, he elected to proceed without refueling. While hovering and being guided into the drop point, the low fuel warning light flickered. The pilot completed the drop, and while returning to the refueling area, the light flickered 3 more times. The pilot stated that when he arrived at the refueling area, the fuel gauge indicated approximately 50 to 60 lbs of fuel remaining. Shortly after that, the engine lost power while the helicopter was still about 50 to 60 ft AGL. During an autorotation, the helicopter was landed on the hillside of a logging area while avoiding a truck.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1096L
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 789D
- Airframe hours
- 695
- Engine
- Allison 250, 250 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Transwestern Helicotering
- Registered owner
- Transwestern Helicotering
- Departed
- Birkenfeld, OR
- Destination
- Birkenfeld, OR
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,143 total · 790 in this make and model · 3,676 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1096L · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.