Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Highfalls, Georgia 30022
Saturday, October 19, 2002 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A commercial pilot was completing his timber spraying operation and returning to the staging area. While at cruise flight the pilot felt a surge of engine power followed by a complete loss of power. The pilot selected a forced landing area and entered an autorotation. The helicopter collided with trees in a heavily wooded area. After the helicopter came to rest, the pilot removed the fuel filters to examine them for contamination, but was unable to make that determination. On recovery of the helicopter no fuel was found in the fuel tanks, and the helicopter was not equipped with a fuel quantity gauge for each tank as required by Federal Regulations. No other mechanical or flight control malfunctions were found with the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots inadequate fuel management, and subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and a in-flight collision with trees during an autorotation. A factor was the pilot's failure to insure that the required equipment (fuel gauge) was installed in the helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Highfalls
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30022
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 331930N
Event Location Longitude 0841753W
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 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 90
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) 791
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) 14517
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2003 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4002G
NTSB Number ATL03LA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 47G3B1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6529
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 28 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 10860
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLCOMB AERIAL SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 26
Aircraft Owner City Flora
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39071
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 ZMUG
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 0900
Departure City Highfalls
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
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 Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2003 3:09PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --