Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Killeen, Texas 76540
Saturday, March 16, 1996 11:05 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during his preflight of the helicopter, he knew that the fuel tanks were not full, but they 'seemed adequate.' He estimated that the two 15 gallon tanks were about '3/4 of a tank capacity.' The helicopter was last flown the night before by another pilot. That pilot estimated that the fuel tanks were only '1/4 full' at the end of that flight. The Pilot/Owners Handbook revealed a fuel consumption of about 19.1 gallons per hour at 100% power and 12.2 gallons per hour at 75% power. The accident pilot reported that 'a normal start, warm-up and rotor engagement' were made before a 'hovering demonstration and short flight' were accomplished. He then boarded two passengers, lifted off, and performed another hovering demonstration. The pilot then flew west for about 3 miles, and the engine began to 'run rough.' Subsequently, the engine 'quit completely,' and the pilot autorotated to rough and uneven ground, where the helicopter touched down hard. Postcrash examination revealed no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power, due to an inadequate supply of fuel. A factor relating to the accident was: lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing (autorotation).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/16/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1105 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | KILLEEN |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76540 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| 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 | 1054 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ILE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 846 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 417 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 16 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1325 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9574 |
| NTSB Number | FTW96LA149 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Enstrom |
| Aircraft Model | F-28A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | F-28A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 132 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| 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 4 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 116 |
| Airframe Hours | 1338 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TERRY L. HIGGINS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 206 EAST ROBERTSON AVENUE |
| Aircraft Owner City | COPPERAS COVE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76522 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | ILE |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| 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 | Emergency landing |
| 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 | -- |