Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orlando, Florida 32814
Wednesday, August 9, 2006 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport certificated pilot, with four passengers, departed on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area revenue sightseeing flight in a skid-equipped helicopter. According to the operator's chief pilot, the accident pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the fuel pump warning light illuminated, and he began a precautionary landing approach to a vacant parking lot. While on final approach to the parking lot, the pilot said the "engine flamed out." The pilot initiated an autorotation, but the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter's landing gear cross-tubes were deformed, the pilot's windscreen was broken, and the fuselage received structural damage. An FAA inspector reported that an examination of the helicopter revealed that it had flown 1.5 hours before the accident. The helicopter's fuel gauge, annunciator system, fuel pump, and fuel system, functioned normally. A pressure check of the fuel lines revealed no leakage. The inspector indicated that the fuel tank contained about 40 ounces of fuel. The inspector reported that during his examination of the helicopter, no mechanical malfunction was found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter prior to the accident flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight, and a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Orlando
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32814
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 283272N
Event Location Longitude 0811998W
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 1900 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID KORL
Elevation of weather observation facility 110
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20847
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2007 9:40AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N121RH
NTSB Number ANC06CA122
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3443
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 5328
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Quantiv Helicopter Inc. Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1220 N. Market St. Ste 6060
Aircraft Owner City Wimington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Magic Air Adventure, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 968 Lake Baldwin Lane, Suite D
Operator City Orlando
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32814
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 36FA
Departure City Kissimmee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2006 5:52PM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --