Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Eutaw, Alabama 35462
Thursday, October 14, 2004 10:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was conducting a spraying operation in a wooded area in Eutaw, Alabama. The helicopter was refueling for 10-15 minute flights. After the helicopter refueled it departed the staging area, and did not return after 20 minutes. An aerial and ground search was initiated, and the downed helicopter was located approximately three hours after the initial search. Fueling records are not documented by the operator. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. Examination of the accident site revealed the helicopter lying on its left side. Further examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blades were broken off of the main rotor head, and the fuselage was buckled. During the preparation for a functional check of the engine, fuel was poured into the main fuel tank. After pouring about one gallon fuel into the main tank, an undetermined small amount of jet fuel leaked out of the bottom of the fuel tank. An external source of jet fuel was attached to the engine fuel system and the engine was started and, a functional engine run was accomplished up to 65% power for five minutes. Both the oil and engine temperature instruments were in the normal operating range during the engine run. No mechanical anomalies were found during the engine run.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilots inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/14/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Eutaw |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 35462 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 330200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0875600W |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KTCL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 170 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.77 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 17106 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 14 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1615 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Birmingham FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N300HT |
| NTSB Number | ATL05CA003 |
| 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 | 206 B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2083 |
| 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 | Sep 21 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 9984 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Woodlands Specialists Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | Hangar 209 Craig Field |
| Aircraft Owner City | Selma |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 36701 |
| 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 | YW6L |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Eutaw |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 941 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| 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 | Maneuvering - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 16 2004 2:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |