Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sedro Wooley, Washington 98284
Sunday, April 19, 1998 17:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During initial climb immediately after takeoff the helicopter lost power. The pilot attempted to maneuver to a clear area, but struck trees during the descent. Post crash examination revealed no mechanical malfunction with either the engine or carburetor although the carburetor had been subjected to a post crash fire and its fuel metering orifices could not be bench tested. Fuel samples taken from the helicopter's fuel tank prior to the accident, and from the fueling hose from the portable fuel truck were examined by a fuels testing lab and were found to contain 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester. The pre-accident aircraft fuel sample, which contained a submersed glob of clear substance similar to that observed by the pilot seeping from the cut ends of the fueling hose, was tested. The test revealed that the 'soluble gum' consisted of 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester' and that nearly 100% of the gum was soluble in the fuel. The operator was advised by the local distributor of the 'Versicon' hose that the hose was acceptable for use with aviation fuels. Specifications provided by the manufacturer of the hose, HBD Industries, provided a note which stated 'Not recommended for the variety of unleaded gas existing presently.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Fuel contamination and subsequent carburetor fuel flow restriction initiated by the use of an improper material (incorrect fuel hose). A factor was the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/19/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1730 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | SEDRO WOOLEY |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98284 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1735 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AWO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 137 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 22 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| 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 | 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1961 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 19 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1840 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 13 2001 2:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N80SD |
| NTSB Number | SEA98LA064 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-3B-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 47G-3B-1 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3679 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| 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 | Mar 1 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 5198 |
| Airframe Hours | 32 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HELFENBERGER, DANIEL, E. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 18306 59TH DRIVE NE |
| Aircraft Owner City | ARLINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98223 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | HELFENBERGER, DANIEL, E. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 18306 59TH DRIVE NE |
| Operator City | ARLINGTON |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 98223 |
| 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 | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1730 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AWO |
| Destination City | ARLINGTON |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2001 12:27PM |
| 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 | -- |