ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 358123
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| Date: | Friday 20 October 1995 |
| Time: | 12:30 LT |
| Type: |  Hughes OH-6A |
| Owner/operator: | U.s. Border Patrol |
| Registration: | N61865 |
| MSN: | 69-15987 |
| Engine model: | Allison250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Imperial, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | El Centro, CA (KIPL) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he was airborne for 5.5 hours on an observation mission. He was returning to the airport and was about 3 miles from landing, when the engine flamed out. The pilot initiated an autorotation and landed hard, severing the tail boom. A post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuel tank was empty. The fuel system was pressurized and found to be intact. The remaining fuel was drained and found to be 1.5 pints total in quantity. No contaminates were found in the drained fuel, the fuel lines, or filter. No other malfunctions or anomolies were found in the fuel system, including the low fuel level panel warning light. The performance charts showed the helicopter had a maximum endurance of 4.25 hours. The low fuel warning light was designed to illuminate when there was about 70 pounds of fuel remaining.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper planning/decision and failure to ensure there was an adequate supply of fuel, which led to fuel exhaustion and a forced (autorotative) landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX96TA016
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Mar-2024 10:10 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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