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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

May 4, 1992 · Robinson R-22B · N4081P

Sun Valley, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 4, 1992
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Sun Valley, CA
Aircraft
Robinson R-22B
Tail Number
N4081P
Operator
Complete Aviation Services
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX92LA199

The instructor pilot said that he had flown the helicopter on the flight prior to the accident session for about 1.2 hours. The helicopter began that flight with full fuel tanks and it was not refueled after landing. The instructor stated that he performed the preflight inspection with the student on the accident flight and visually looked inside the fuel tank and determined that about one hour and forty minutes of fuel was on board. He said that he did not use a measuring device to quantify the amount of fuel in the tank, but rather visually estimated that the amount he observed matched the fuel gage. After departure from Burbank, the flight proceeded to the local practice area where the one hour dual student was given a lesson on primary flight maneuvers. The flight was on approach to the Burbank airport after one hour and twelve minutes when the low fuel level warning light illuminated. The instructor noted that the engine quit immediately thereafter and he executed an auto rotation to a city park. The helicopter landed hard, bending the tail boom. No fuel was found in the tank after the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

1) FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE CFI AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, AND 2) THE CFI'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE LANDING FLARE TIMING DURING THE AUTO ROTATION.

Full Narrative

THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE HELICOPTER ON THE FLIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT SESSION FOR ABOUT 1.2 HOURS. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN THAT FLIGHT WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AND IT WAS NOT REFUELED AFTER LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE PERFORMED THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WITH THE STUDENT ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND VISUALLY LOOKED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND DETERMINED THAT ABOUT ONE HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT USE A MEASURING DEVICE TO QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK, BUT RATHER VISUALLY ESTIMATED THAT THE AMOUNT HE OBSERVED MATCHED THE FUEL GAGE. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM BURBANK THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TO THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA WHERE THE ONE HOUR DUAL STUDENT WAS GIVEN A LESSON ON PRIMARY FLIGHT MANEUVERS. THE FLIGHT WAS ON APPROACH TO THE BURBANK AIRPORT AFTER ONE HOUR AND TWELVE MINUTES WHEN THE LOW FUEL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE INSTRUCTOR NOTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER AND HE EXECUTED AN AUTO ROTATION TO A CITY PARK. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, BENDING THE TAIL BOOM. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANK AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:25 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftRobinson R-22B
Tail NumberN4081P
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorComplete Aviation Services
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-B2C · Reciprocating · 160
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 26 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind150° @ 8 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data