Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Venice, Louisiana 70091
Tuesady, November 25, 2003 7:08 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot calculated the positioning flight would take approximately 42 minutes. He departed with 33 gallons of fuel indicated, which allowed enough fuel to reach the destination, plus reserve. The helicopter does not have another means of checking fuel quantity except for the fuel gauge in the cockpit. While en route, the pilot noticed that the fuel gauge needle was "sticking", and jumped from 14 gallons down to 7 gallons, which alerted his attention that there was less fuel than originally indicated. At that point, the helicopter was about 7 miles short of the destination, and the pilot elected to continue. Approximately one minute later, the fuel boost pump caution light flickered, and approximately 15 seconds later the engine "flamed out." As the engine spooled down, the fuel gauge indicated 6 or 7 gallons. The pilot performed an autoration, deployed the floats, and landed in shallow water. Examination of the helicopter revealed the forward boost pump was inoperative, the switch to the forward boost pump caution light did not work, and approximately 6.5 to 7 gallons of fuel were drained from the tank. According to the Bell 206B Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), "Due to possible fuel sloshing in unusual attitudes or out of trim conditions and one or both fuel boost pumps inoperative, the unusable fuel is 10 gallons." Though it is possible for a pilot to test both boost pumps prior to flight, there was no directive outlined in the POH for a pilot to do so. As a result, the operator examined their remaining Bell 206B fleet and ensured the forward and aft fuel boost pumps, and both fuel pressure switches operated as required. All systems operated properly. In addition, the Before Starting Engine checklist was revised to include a functional test of each fuel boost pump and caution light.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the forward boost pump while in cruise flight while operating with less than 10 gallons of fuel onboard, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the inoperative forward fuel boost pump caution light switch.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 11/25/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 708 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | VENICE |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70091 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295936N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0900454W |
| Event Location Airport | None |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 15160 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SW COMM CTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 25 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1447 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2004 8:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | HOUSTON FAA/FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N125TA |
| NTSB Number | FTW04IA043 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1315 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 30 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 67.9 |
| Airframe Hours | 16233.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TEX-AIR HELICOPTERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOUSTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77061 |
| 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 | TXEA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | External Load |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | PASCAGOULA |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 645 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | VENICE |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2004 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |