Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broomfield, Texas 80023
Sunday, November 14, 2010 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, while returning back to his home airport the helicopter's engine began to sputter. He elected to perform a precautionary landing and, while descending to an unoccupied football field, the engine lost total power. During touchdown, the helicopter landed hard and spun counterclockwise before coming to rest in the upright position, substantially damaging the tailboom. An on-scene examination of the helicopter revealed that both fuel tanks were empty and that no fuel was observed underneath the wreckage or on the field. After adding fuel, the engine the helicopter operator was able to run the engine at various power settings with no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper execution of an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Broomfield
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80023
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395645N
Event Location Longitude 1050128W
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 1545 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 234
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5673
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
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) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KBJC 142245Z 00000KT 15SM SCT050 BKN100 05/M
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27808
NTSB Notification Source DEN FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2011 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N299RJ
NTSB Number CEN11CA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 300C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number S1883
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEW COURSE AVIATION CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 183 COLUMBINE RD
Aircraft Owner City GOLDEN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80401-9334
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mountain One Helicopters
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 395 Airport Drive
Operator City Erie
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80516
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KEIK
Departure City Erie
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KEIK
Destination City Erie
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 1 2011 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record andj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --