Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Huron, California 93234
Wednesday, April 8, 1998 23:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the initial climb, the pilot noted that the fuel boost pump warning light had flickered on and then off, with a corresponding surge in the engine. Approximately 20 feet agl, engine power was lost and the helicopter impacted the ground. A functional field check of the fuel system was conducted and it was noted that there was a leak in the breakaway valve, which would have allowed air to enter the system. Further examination of the fuel boost pump and breakaway valve revealed that the O-rings were deteriorated. The field inspection further revealed that the inlet shutoff valve arm on the fuel boost pump was bent. According to the manufacturer's overhaul manual, if the inlet shutoff valve arm is bent it may prevent the valve from opening and restrict the fuel flow. According to the component overhaul manuals, the O-ring seals in both the fuel boost pump and the fuel breakaway valve are not required to be inspected during routine inspections and are replaced as on-condition items. A hydro leakage test and performance flow test check was conducted on the fuel boost pump with the original O-rings. The fuel boost pump did not pass the manufacturer's tests. The O-ring seals were replaced with new ones, and the fuel boost pump functioned within manufacturer's limits. The fuel control unit and fuel pump were tested and no discrepancies were found. The fuel nozzle was also tested and flowed within manufacturer's limits. Maintenance records disclosed that the last time the fuel boost pump was worked on was 5 years prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to deteriorated O-ring seals in the fuel boost pump, which allowed air to enter the fuel lines. Factors in the accident were the inadequate manufacturer's inspection criteria for the fuel boost pump O-ring seals and the resulting failure of the operator's maintenance personnel failure to detect the condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/8/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2300 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | HURON |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93234 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2256 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 20 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FAT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 333 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Bright |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1812 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 9 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 110 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N176SJ |
| NTSB Number | LAX98LA134 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| 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-58A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | OH-58A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 70-15556 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 5 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 2518 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SAN JOAQUIN HELICOPTERS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1407 S. LEXINGTON ST. |
| Aircraft Owner City | DELANO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93215 |
| 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 | CUFA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2300 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| 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 | Takeoff |
| 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 | -- |