Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Story, Wyoming 82842
Tuesady, March 13, 1984 8:13 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAGE INDICATED 30 TO 35 GAL REMAINING. HE ADDED 40 GAL & MADE A FLT OF ABOUT 15 MIN. ON THE NEXT DAY, HE NOTED THAT THE GAGE INDICATED ABOUT 40 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING. THE REPORTED FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS APRX 1 GAL/MIN. HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT REFUELING; HOWEVER, ABOUT 18 MIN LATER, THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG FLAMED OUT FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT MADE AN AUTOROTATION, BUT THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING ON SNOW COVERED, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AN EXAM OF THE FLOAT TYPE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE REVEALED THAT IT WAS CORRODED. DUE TO THE CORROSION, THE FLOAT WOULD NOT FREELY MOVE UP & DOWN IN ITS HOUSING. THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE FUEL QUANTITY TRANSMITTER & SHOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL DROPPED TO 60 LITRES (15.85 U.S. GAL). THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED ON WOODED TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 6480 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/13/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 813
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City STORY
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82842
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 3
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 20
Degrees magnetic from airport 168
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 855 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 348
Weather Observation Facility ID SHR
Elevation of weather observation facility 4021
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4302
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 2
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1735
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25614
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8655
NTSB Number DEN84FA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model SA-316B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-316B
Aircraft Serial Number 1728
Certified Max Gross Weight 4850
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 28 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2966
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERNEST & PEGGY MIGNOT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2660 VINE STREET
Aircraft Owner City GRANTS PASS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97526
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAWKINS & POWERS AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P O BOX 391
Operator City GREYBULL
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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 SHR
Departure City SHERIDAN
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City STORY
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --