Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chelsea, Michigan 48118
Thursday, April 13, 2006 15:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A private pilot was operating the helicopter as a local personal flight when it collided with trees and terrain during a forced landing. Witnesses related that the helicopter appeared to lose power, as if it ran out of gas, and that it came down fast, toward a road. The helicopter subsequently struck trees and terrain. An on-scene inspection disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with either the flight controls or engine. Fuel samples were collected from the helicopter's carburetor and fuel tanks. Analysis disclosed water in the carburetor fuel, but none in the fuel tanks. A fuel sample was also taken from the pilot's storage tank at his residence, which was under a building without rain gutters. The fuel from the storage tank had a layer of water and sediment. Detailed analysis of the water and sediment found in the carburetor fuel indicated that the contamination was consistent with run-off from a building's roof. The helicopter's engine was provided fresh fuel and operated successfully. During the investigation, an aviation mechanic related that about two weeks before the accident, the pilot had lost one of the helicopter's fuel caps, and had obtained a replacement cap.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the helicopter that failed to discover water in the fuel, resulting in a loss of engine power while maneuvering, and an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Factors associated with the accident were inadequate fuel storage, and the low altitude of the helicopter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Chelsea |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48118 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 421830N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0840640W |
| 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 | 1453 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ARB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 839 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.02 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KARB 131853Z 27014KT 10SM SCT080 23/07 A3002 RMK A |
| 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) | 21773 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2007 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit, MI, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N887BC |
| NTSB Number | CHI06FA109 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R22 Beta |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3331 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 46.4 |
| Airframe Hours | 689.3 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Matts Move-All |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1366 S Old US 12 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chelsea |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48118 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Chelsea |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1515 |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 30 2007 6:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| 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 | -- |