ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37437
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| Date: | Sunday 29 May 1994 |
| Time: | 13:47 LT |
| Type: |  RotorWay Exec 90 |
| Owner/operator: | Zane T. Parker |
| Registration: | N78435 |
| MSN: | 5129 |
| Engine model: | ROTORWAY RI-162 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fallbrook, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | French Valley, CA (F70 |
| (F70) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WITNESSES SAID THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200', THEN DEPARTED THE AREA & FLEW UP A CANYON AT LOW ALTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO THE GROUND & CONTACTED A TREE DURING THE DESCENT. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, CONTROL & FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE HELICOPTER. THE FUEL TANK WAS UNDAMAGED & NO EVIDENCE OF POST-IMPACT FUEL LEAKAGE WAS NOTED. ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANK. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A ROTORCRAFT RATING. HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SAID HE HAD GIVEN THE PILOT ABOUT 24 HRS OF DUAL TRAINING IN THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER DURING FEBRUARY 1994. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD ONLY ENDORSED THE PILOT FOR LIMITED HOVERING SOLO FLIGHTS. THE PILOT HAD BEEN GIVEN ONLY ONE INTRODUCTORY LESSON IN AUTOROTATION (TO A POWER RECOVERY). THE CFI SAID THE FUEL GAGE WAS INACCURATE. HE ADVISED THE PILOT TO USE A DIPSTICK TO MEASURE FUEL BEFORE EACH FLIGHT & TO USE A CLOCK TO MONITOR FUEL REMAINING. HE ALSO NOTED THE STUDENT TENDED TO ADD ONLY THE FUEL NEEDED FOR A PARTICULAR FLIGHT.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND MISCALCULATION OF REMAINING FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND IMPROPER AUTOROTATION, DUE TO INADEQUATE TRANSITION/UPGRADE TRAINING AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH HELICOPTERS.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX94LA226
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Apr-2024 07:09 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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