WPR23LA006

The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight about 2,300 ft mean sea level, the helicopter’s engine lost power and he initiated an autorotation and landed on a residential street. During the landing sequence, the pilot increased the collective to reduce the descent rate to clear obstacles, which resulted in a loss of rotor rpm and a hard landing that damaged the tail boom. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed a low amount of fuel in each tank. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not report how much fuel was onboard the helicopter at the time of departure, and the extent of his preflight fuel planning could not be determined. Based on the available information, it is likely that the engine lost total power as a result of fuel exhaustion.

On October 1, 2022, about 0543 mountain standard time, a Bell 47G helicopter, N24067, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, while returning back to the airport following a flight of about 1 hour, and while at an altitude about 2,300 ft mean sea level, the engine lost power and he initiated an autorotation and landed on a residential street. During the landing sequence, the pilot increased the collective to reduce the descent rate to clear obstacles (a tree and a pole), which resulted in the loss of rotor rpm and a subsequent hard landing, during which the tail boom sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed a low amount of fuel in each tank (about a minimum of 3 gallons). Law enforcement visually inspected the fuel tanks and observed less than one gallon of fuel in each tank. The helicopter’s fuel was carried in two gravity-fed tanks mounted on each side of the engine. The tanks’ total fuel capacity was 43 gallons, with 41 gallons of usable fuel. The pilot stated that there was “very little fuel in the tanks” following the accident and that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. The pilot did not report how much fuel was onboard the helicopter at the time of departure, and the extent of his preflight fuel planning could not be determined.