Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Venice, Florida 34285
Friday, July 16, 1999 8:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, the helicopter lost power while flying at 50 knots and 100 feet above the ocean during a flight to record video footage of the area. The pilot made an auto-rotation into the water. Both the pilot and passenger were immediately rescued by a nearby boat. Examination of the helicopter by the FAA found that the engine had sustained salt water contamination. Further examination established continuity throughout the engine and the drive train. Additionally, the magnetos sparked when rotated, there was oil/water in the crankcase, and there was fuel/water in the fuel tanks. The fuel shutoff valve control lock was inspected and it was found that it could be repositioned to allow movement of the control to the 'off' position by a slight downward pressure on the control knob. The fuel shutoff valve control knob was directly to the left of the passenger's left foot and approximately one inch off the floor. The exact position of the fuel shutoff valve prior to the accident was not determined. The passenger was wearing his seatbelt loosely to allow him to film directly out of the doorway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the passenger inadvertently shutting off the fuel supply.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/16/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 810 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | VENICE |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34285 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 340 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SRQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 27 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 24 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1500 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 381 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 16 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1020 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2000 11:43AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5317V |
| NTSB Number | ATL99LA108 |
| 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 | Hiller |
| Aircraft Model | UH12-C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | UH12-C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 768 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Unknown |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 6 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 42 |
| Airframe Hours | 1750 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CANAAN HELICOPTERS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3808 GULF OF MEXICO DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | LONGBOAT KEY |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34228 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | MICHAEL B. PRITCHARD |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | VNC |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 750 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | -- |