BOLINAS, CA, USA
N14490
HILLER UH-12D
DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED INTO A SURF TIDAL POOL RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NORMALLY 'STAKED' THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE APPROXIMATELY 95% OF HIS FLIGHTS BUT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL BEFORE THIS FLIGHT. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT BOTH THE FUEL GAUGE AND THE CLOCK IN THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.
THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING IN THAT HE DID NOT ACCURATELY ACCOUNT FOR THE FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AS A BASIS FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS THEREBY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP PRODUCING POWER BECAUSE OF A LACK OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE AND CLOCK IN THE AIRCRAFT THAT THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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