ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 372475
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| Date: | Wednesday 5 August 1987 |
| Time: | 15:15 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 47D-1 |
| Owner/operator: | Helt Engineering Inc |
| Registration: | N917B |
| MSN: | 606 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1952 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 63465 hours |
| Engine model: | FRANKLIN 6V4 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Taft, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Bakersfield, CA (KBFL) |
| Taft, CA (L17) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PLT RPRTD THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300' AGL AFTER THE HELICOPTER HAD FLOWN APRX 2.7 HRS WITHOUT REFUELING. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING; HOWEVER, BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED & SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. NO SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WERE FOUND. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A 210 HP FRANKLIN ENG IAW A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE. THERE WAS NO FACTORY DATA ON FUEL CONSUMPTION RATES FOR THIS CONFIGURATION. OTHER OPERATORS, WHO OPERATED THIS MAKE & MODEL OF HELICOPTER, ESTIMATED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS APRX 12 GAL/HR. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT RPRTD HE MEASURED THE FUEL CAPACITY OF THE HELICOPTER FUEL CELL. HE STATED THE CELL WOULD HOLD ONLY 26.5 GAL OF FUEL, INSTEAD OF '29' AS INDCD BY A STICK-ON MARKER THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON A PREVIOUSLY PAINTED PLACARD.
Probable Cause:
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX87LA294
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 13 April 1988 | N917B | Helt Engineering, Inc. | 0 | Taft, CA | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Mar-2024 17:25 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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