Page Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Page, Arizona 86040
Tuesady, September 22, 2009 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that at 70 miles from his destination he determined that he would be landing closer to minimum fuel than he had planned. He continued to the destination and passed over one airport because it did not have any services. At 35 miles from the destination, the low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 2 illuminated, followed by a low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 1. The pilot thought that he would still land with some reserve and continued to fly to his destination airport. Approximately 1 mile from the destination airport the helicopter experienced a dual engine flame-out. The pilot autorotated to a sports field where the helicopter landed hard, sustaining damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, tail boom, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot stated that the helicopter and engines had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and his decision to continue flight with a known low fuel level state.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Page
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86040
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365534N
Event Location Longitude 1112654W
Event Location Airport Page Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KPGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KPGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 4316
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Indefinite (V V)
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 26171
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 6 2010 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N129AL
NTSB Number WPR09CA462
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AGUSTA
Aircraft Model A109
Aircraft Series Identifier K2
Aircraft Serial Number 10029
Certified Max Gross Weight 6283
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 4 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5606
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Trevor Corp
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Grayslake
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60030
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Omniflight Helicopters
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Addision
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75001
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KIWA
Departure City Mesa
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1414
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KPGA
Destination City Page
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 15 2010 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --