Anson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wadesboro, North Carolina 28170
Tuesady, July 3, 2001 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on approach the helicopter lost engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot autorotated into a plowed field with tall grass and deep furrows damaging the left skid. The pilot stated that while landing the helicopter it began to nose over and he applied aft cyclic separating the tailboom with the main rotor blades. Examination of the helicopter found that the fuel tanks were void of fuel, and that the fuel quantity probe was stuck indication 50 pounds of fuel remaining.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was rough and uneven terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WADESBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28170
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Anson County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AFP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 305
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 436
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) 1761
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11703
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2002 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office CHARLOTTE FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N539
NTSB Number ATL01LA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hughes
Aircraft Model 369A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 38-0383
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 22 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3346
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Milton R. Barnes
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 243
Aircraft Owner City Wadesboro
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28170
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Flight Test
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AFP
Departure City WADESBORO
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City WADESBORO
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 7 2002 2:12PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 350
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --