Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tensed, Idaho 83870
Tuesady, January 19, 1999 14:45 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot-in-command (PIC) took off with a full load of fuel (82 gallons) approximately 1230 pst. The main fuel tank contained 46 gallons of fuel (2.9 gallons unusable) with the remaining fuel in external saddle tanks. Approximately 1445 (2.25 hours after takeoff), the engine flamed out while the PIC was executing a zero airspeed pedal turn course reversal over high trees. The helicopter descended into the trees impacting terrain. The PIC reported that 'within moments preceding the flameout, he noted that his fuel level had reached approximately 15 gallons in the main tank. At that time he turned on the auxiliary fuel tanks transfer switch.' and that 'the time between turning on the transfer switch to the flameout was approximately 45 to 60 seconds.' Cruise fuel flow to the engine was reported at 17-20 gallons/hour (takeoff power fuel flow was reported as 32 gallons/hour). Post crash examination revealed less than one gallon of fuel in the rotorcraft's main fuel tank, and none in the fuel line which connects the tank to the engine fuel nozzle, none within the engine driven fuel pump filter, nor within the power turbine governor fuel filter. The aircraft's fuel gauge was observed to have no markings on the glass faceplate. No fuel leaks were found within the main fuel tank. A post crash test run of the engine revealed normal performance. No low fuel warning system was installed on the rotorcraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot-in-command's inadequate fuel management which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors were the absence of cautionary markings on the fuel gauge, and high trees at the accident site.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/19/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1445 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | TENSED |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83870 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 186 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PUW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2551 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 160 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 19 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1934 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2006 9:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N67264 |
| NTSB Number | SEA99LA031 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Hiller |
| Aircraft Model | UH-12E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | UH-12E |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2509 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3100 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 9 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 12 |
| Airframe Hours | 4282 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | POPE, JAMES, R. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 54 |
| Aircraft Owner City | CLARKSTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99403 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | VALLEY HELICOPTER SERVICES LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | GGVA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2006 9:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOHB |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |