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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

July 15, 1994 · Aerospatiale AS350D · N151BH

Hanalei, HI

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 15, 1994
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities), 4 uninjured
Location
Hanalei, HI
Aircraft
Aerospatiale AS350D
Tail Number
N151BH
Operator
Papillon Hawaiian Helicopters
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW94MA235

The helicopter was on a 14 CFR Part 135 air tour operation with a pilot and six passengers aboard. It was flying parallel to the shoreline when a complete loss of engine power occurred. The pilot performed an autorotation to the water about 150 feet from a cliff shoreline. The helicopter was not equipped with floats. All occupants exited the helicopter uninjured as it was sinking. Life vests were aboard the helicopter, but were not worn by the occupants. Three of the passengers managed to climb onto rocks and were eventually rescued by helicopter. They indicated that they had not been briefed that life preservers were aboard the helicopter. The other four occupants were unable to climb onto rocks along the shore. One of these, a passenger, was rescued by personnel of a boat. The pilot and the other two passengers drowned. The helicopter was recovered from the ocean. An examination and tests of components revealed the internal drive splines of the engine-driven fuel pump (MFP-261) had worn to the point of slippage. This failure would have resulted in a total loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER, AND THE LACK OF AIRCRAFT FLOTATION EQUIPMENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FLIGHT OVER WATER ADJACENT TO TERRAIN THAT AFFORDED NO SUITABLE FORCED LANDING SITE, AND THE LACK OF A PASSENGER BRIEFING BY THE OPERATOR ON THE LOCATION AND OPERATION OF LIFE PRESERVERS.

Full Narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A 14 CFR PART 135 AIR TOUR OPERATION WITH A PILOT & 6 PASSENGERS ABOARD. IT WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO THE SHORELINE WHEN A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE WATER ABOUT 150' FROM A CLIFF SHORELINE. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FLOATS. ALL OCCUPANTS EXITED THE HELICOPTER UNINJURED AS IT WAS SINKING. LIFE VESTS WERE ABOARD THE HELICOPTER, BUT WERE NOT WORN BY THE OCCUPANTS. THREE OF THE PASSENGERS MANAGED TO CLIMB ONTO ROCKS & WERE EVENTUALLY RESCUED BY HELICOPTER. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED THAT LIFE PRESERVERS WERE ABOARD THE HELICOPTER. THE OTHER FOUR OCCUPANTS WERE UNABLE TO CLIMB ONTO ROCKS ALONG THE SHORE. ONE OF THESE (A PASSENGER) WAS RESCUED BY PERSONNEL OF A BOAT. THE PILOT & THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS DROWNED. THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN. AN EXAM & TESTS OF COMPONENTS REVEALED THE INTERNAL DRIVE SPLINES OF THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP (MFP-261) HAD WORN TO THE POINT OF SLIPPAGE. THIS FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:36 HST
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAerospatiale AS350D
Tail NumberN151BH
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorPapillon Hawaiian Helicopters
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsLycoming · LTS-101-A3 · Turboshaft · 650
Seats7

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities), 4 uninjured
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured4
Total7
Crew 1Age 49 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind60° @ 14 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point68 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time01:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data