Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Hilo International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Thursday, July 25, 2013 13:15 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a round trip tour flight, the pilot determined that the fuel state was low, and decided to return to the airport. The flight entered the airport environment and the pilot requested priority handling for a low fuel state. The engine subsequently lost power and the pilot initiated an autorotation to a field at the approach end of the runway. During the landing the helicopter's skid collapsed and the helicopter rolled over on to its right side which resulted in substantial damage. The operator indicated that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper planning and mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/25/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Hilo |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96720 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 194323N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1550328W |
| Event Location Airport | Hilo International Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PHTO |
| 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 | 38 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1326 Hawaii Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 200 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHTO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 36 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3800 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SP 25/07/2013 23:26-> SPECI PHTO 252326Z 36009KT |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31996 |
| 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 | Sep 26 2013 5:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | eckd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N500PH |
| NTSB Number | WPR13CA342 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | 369E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0187E |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 10 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 19255 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | K & S HELICOPTERS INC DBA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | KAILUA KONA |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96745-5371 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Paradise Helicopters |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | KAILUA KONA |
| Operator State | HI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 96745-5371 |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PHTO |
| Departure City | Hilo |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1243 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | PHTO |
| Destination City | Hilo |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2013 5:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | eckd |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |