Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Stuart, Oklahoma 73108
Saturday, July 14, 2007 14:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter experienced a loss of engine power while hovering out of ground effect while performing external load operations. While moving a heavy load , the helicopter's fuel light was reported to have flickered. The company's mechanic drained the tank, purged the fuel lines, and replaced the fuel filter. The helicopter was then filled with "clean fuel" and test flown for approximately 30-minutes; with no problems noted. After moving 2 or 3 more loads, and while repositioning the next load, the pilot "felt the engine surge slightly". All engine instruments appeared to be in the normal range and the pilot elected to continue to move the external load. The engine then "cut back to ground idle' and the helicopter descended through the trees. The engine was removed from the airframe, and shipped to an engine overhaul facility for further investigation. An initial examination of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The engine was placed in a test cell for a full run-up. Two engine starts were attempted; however, the engine failed to start. After the first attempt, the idling device strainer was found clogged and was replaced. The engine was disassembled after the second failed attempt and the examination revealed that the fuel tube was clogged, and fuel was not getting to the fuel injection wheel in the engine. Fuel samples taken at the accident scene and at the engine examination, failed to find containments in the fuel. A lab test of the substance that was found in the fuel tube, failed to identify the foreign substance.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to a clogged fuel tube. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Stuart |
| Event State | OKLAHOMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 73108 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 345370N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0960440W |
| 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 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MLC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| 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) | 22688 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Operator, |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2007 6:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5770F |
| NTSB Number | DFW07LA162 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aerospatiale |
| Aircraft Model | SA-315 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2593 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3500 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 12620 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Skydance Northwestern, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 101 Wass Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Minden |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89423 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SKYDANCE OPERATIONS INC |
| 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 | NCNL |
| 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) | External Load |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Stuart |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Stuart |
| Destination State | OK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Hover |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 20 2007 1:03PM |
| 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 | -- |