Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Page Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fort Myers, Florida 33901
Friday, January 24, 2003 7:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight had departed the airport and was traveling in a northwest bound direction when the pilot reported to the control tower that he was going down. The pilot told investigators that the helicopter's engine had lost all power, and that he performed an autorotation into the river. The pilot was rescued from the water by another helicopter that was in the area, before the helicopter sank. An FAA-supervised examination of the wreckage was conducted at the Lee County Mosquito Control Facility. The examination was assisted by an airframe and powerplant mechanic from the Lee County Mosquito Control Facility. About a tablespoon of fuel was drained from the fuel nozzle line. Approximately 3 ounces of fuel was drained from the fuel pump filter bowl. Four ounces of fuel was drained from the main tank to the pump inline filter and 1.5 quarts of fuel was drained from the main fuel tank. Approximately 22 quarts of brackish water was drain from the main fuel tank. The mechanic stated he remembered during the examination the fuel cap was not secured and no external damage was noted to the engine. No cracks or broken parts, leakages or rods were found when the exterior surface examination of the engine was conducted. A completed NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) was not received.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight/preparation and his in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/24/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 730 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Fort Myers |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33901 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 263500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0815100W |
| Event Location Airport | Page Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KFMY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 349 |
| Airport Elevation | 17 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 169 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFMY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 17 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| 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) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.4 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1900 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16390 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SE Reg Com Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 24 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 945 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 29 2004 1:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N543FH |
| NTSB Number | MIA03LA047 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Fairchild Hiller |
| Aircraft Model | FH-1100 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 43 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Rudi Dekkers |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 178 Topanga DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bonita Springs |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34134 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FMY |
| Departure City | FORT MYERS |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| 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 | Aug 13 2004 9:23AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |