Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dorrance, Pennsylvania 18201
Friday, October 2, 2009 10:25 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection of his helicopter "including checking fuel tank was full and without water or other contaminants." The cross country flight was estimated to be one hour and forty-five minutes. Based upon past performance and lack of guidance from the manufacturer, he determined that the helicopter consumed about 13 gallons-per-hour, resulting in a total consumption of 22.8 gallons of fuel, which would leave approximately 6 gallons remaining in the 29-gallon fuel system. After one hour and twenty five minutes of flight time and approximately 5 nautical miles from the destination airport, the engine quit suddenly. The pilot performed an autorotation maneuver; however, the tail boom impacted a dirt and stone pile causing substantial damage to the tail boom. Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that "the fuel tank was empty" and a "small amount of fuel was found in both the carburetor and the gascolator." Samples from both were verified to be free of water or contaminants. A slight indication of blue fuel stain was found at the fitting for the fuel line which connects the fuel tank and the carburetor. Additional inspection and testing was performed by the helicopter’s Airframe and Powerplant maintenance technician twelve days after the accident in an effort to determine the origin of the fuel leak; however, the results were inconclusive. Fuel stains were noted on the carburetor around the split line of the two body halves, and around the fuel strainer screen on the left side.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/2/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1025 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Dorrance |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18201 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0755800W |
| 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 | 1054 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | kavp |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 962 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7500 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| 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) | 26293 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 6 2009 3:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N74004 |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA001 |
| 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 | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 47D1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 403 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2350 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 9 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 9389 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HOUSE GUY C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 543 KNAPP HILL RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | CASTLE CREEK |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 13744-1225 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HOUSE GUY C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 543 KNAPP HILL RD |
| Operator City | CASTLE CREEK |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 13744-1225 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Castle Creek |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KHZL |
| Destination City | Hazelton |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 6 2009 3:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |