ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287526
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| Date: | Tuesday 31 July 2012 |
| Time: | 07:00 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 II |
| Owner/operator: | Pollux Aviation Ltd |
| Registration: | N74496 |
| MSN: | 10755 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2752 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 SER |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Wainwright, Alaska -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Wainwright Airport, AK (AIN/PAWI) |
| Wainwright, AK | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After landing at the airport, the pilot asked ground personnel to fuel the helicopter while he prepared a sling load for his next flight. The pilot said that while he was weighing the sling load cargo on a nearby scale, the ground crew finished fueling the helicopter. The pilot then signed the fuel delivery manifest for the 25.4 gallons of aviation fuel. Shortly thereafter, the pilot boarded the helicopter and started the engine. He said that after liftoff, he picked up the 775-pound sling load and then departed toward his destination. About 10 to 15 seconds after takeoff, the engine began to run rough and lose power, so the pilot elected to land, but while attempting to set the sling load on the ground, all engine power was lost. The low rotor warning horn sounded, the pilot entered a low-altitude emergency autorotation and attempted to cushion the landing, but the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail rotor drive system.
A postaccident examination revealed that the reciprocating engine helicopter had been inadvertently serviced with Jet A turbine fuel. In a written statement, the ground personnel who fueled the helicopter stated that they thought they were fueling the helicopter with aviation gas, but they were using the same trailer that they used to fuel larger (turbine-powered) helicopters.
Probable Cause: The failure of ground personnel to ensure the helicopter was serviced with the proper fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to monitor the fueling process.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC12CA082
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2022 11:47 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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