- Date
- July 24, 1992, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Headquarters, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N90944Kaman HH-43F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920724027459A
- Case key
- 42860
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
Fuel exhaustion and the pilot in command's delay in refueling.
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 departed on a logging mission with approximately 1000 pounds of fuel. After approximately 1 hour of flight operations the low fuel warning light illuminated with approximately 200 pounds remaining. Several minutes later the pilot initiated a return to the fueling facility. The low fuel light was reported to be on steady at that time. During the final approach the engine began to spool down and the pilot executed an autorotation to a hard landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90944
- Reported as
- Kaman HH-43F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 62-4514
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L-13B, 1,485 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Registered owner
- Moseley Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 11, 1992 · 24 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,700 total · 55 in this make and model · 11,200 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PUW, 57 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.