Brookneal/Campbell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brookneal, Virginia 24528
Tuesady, May 1, 1990 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL, THE HELICOPTER WAS AUTOROTATED INTO A WOODED AREA, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT LACK OF SUFFICIENT REST CONTRIBUTED TO FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FUEL TANK COULD NOT BE COMPLETELY REFUELED BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED ON A SLOPE DURING REFUELING. HE ALSO STATED THAT FATIGUE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS DECISION TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. PILOT FATIGUE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BROOKNEAL
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24528
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BROOKNEAL/CAMPBELL COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OV4
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 597
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID LYH
Elevation of weather observation facility 938
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1900
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) 212
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40931
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4034Z
NTSB Number BFO90LA041
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 UH-12ET
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12ET
Aircraft Serial Number 5196
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Feb 22 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 89
Airframe Hours 2824
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUMMIT HELICOPTERS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 38 ROUTE 605
Aircraft Owner City CLOVERDALE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24077
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUMMIT HELICOPTERS, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 38, ROUTE 605
Operator City CLOVERDALE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24077
Operator Code BHHG
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MT LAUREL
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OV4
Destination City BROOKNEAL
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 24
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --