Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hammonton, New Jersey 08037
Sunday, June 19, 2005 7:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was proceeding to a nearby airport for fuel, but didn't arrive, and the wreckage was located 2 days later in a wooded area. On-scene examination by FAA inspectors revealed the wreckage to be "mostly intact and contained within the immediate crash scene." Nearby treetops were sheared, and the main rotor blades were fractured into three, approximately 5-foot sections. The helicopter had come to rest on its left side, and there was an impact mark on an 18-inch diameter tree, about 55 inches off the ground, near the helicopter's nose. "The scene had no strong odor of jet fuel," and there was no fuel in the fuel tank, and no fuel in the fuel filter or fuel lines, but some fuel and dirt in the fuel filter bowl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate in-flight decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the wooded area, into which, the pilot had to autorotate.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Hammonton
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08037
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393508N
Event Location Longitude 0744719W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ACY
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
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) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19527
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Philadelphia

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N200LR
NTSB Number IAD05LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Navickas
Aircraft Model Load Runner 2000
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 279
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Victory Helicopters, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Clearwater
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33763
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Thomas J. Navickas
Operator Same as Owner? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Elmer
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 720
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N81
Destination City Hammonton
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 6 2006 7:05PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --