Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mountain View, Arkansas 72560
Sunday, July 3, 1994 10:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A HELICOPTER WITH A 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTE RANGE DEPARTED WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. A POWER LOSS OCCURRED SHORT OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, 65 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED TO A CLEARING IN A ROCK PIT. THE PILOT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR A FENCE ACROSS HIS TOUCHDOWN AREA. DURING LANDING, A MAIN ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAILBOOM. DEBRIS WAS FOUND BLOCKING THE FUEL DRAIN VALVE FOR THE FUEL TANK IN THE OPEN POSITION, ALLOWING FUEL TO DRAIN WHILE EN ROUTE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2,200 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FUEL EXHAUSTION AS RESULT OF A STRUCK FUEL DRAIN VALVE. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AT THE PILOT'S DISPOSAL FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOUNTAIN VIEW
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72560
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 175
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39WL
NTSB Number FTW94LA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model OH-13E
Aircraft Series Identifier OH-13E
Aircraft Serial Number 514
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 4669
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HALEY, WILLIAM J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5704 RIDGEFIELD LANE
Aircraft Owner City LITTLE ROCK
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72211
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1M1
Departure City NO. LITTLE ROCK
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
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 --