Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kahului, Hawaii 96732
Wednesday, July 24, 1991 15:15 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING AN AUTOROTATION TO SLOPING TERRAIN AFTER EXPERIENCING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND 2 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS. AFTERWARDS, FUEL WAS ADDED AND THE ENGINE STARTED NORMALLY WITH NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED. THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION SYSTEM REVEALED A MALFUNCTION OF THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CRASH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING BY THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL LOW LEVEL INDICATION SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAHULUI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96732
Event Date Year 1991
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1568
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45490
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N766MP
NTSB Number LAX91LA339
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350B
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350B
Aircraft Serial Number 1301
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 6959
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAPILLON AIRWAYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12515 WILLOWS RD. N.E. ST 200
Aircraft Owner City KIRKLAND
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAPILLON AIRWAYS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 12515 WILLOWS RD. N.E. ST 200
Operator City KIRKLAND
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98034
Operator Code ILNA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OGG
Departure City KAHULUI
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone HST
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --