N119SP

On April 9, 1999, at 2015 central daylight time, a Bell 206B, N119SP, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The positioning flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota at 1905 and was en route to Cloquet Carlton County Airport, Cloquet, Minnesota.

According to the pilot, he was 10 miles from Cloquet Carlton County Airport when he received a low fuel pressure warning. The pilot stated that he knew of a field that he could land in, five miles from his current position, and decided to maneuver the helicopter to that location. The pilot reported that while over the predetermined field, at approximately 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost total power and he began an autorotation towards the field. The pilot stated that he performed a run-on landing, in order to avoid two posts, and came to rest in an up-right attitude. The pilot reported that he did not see the reflecting posts until the aircraft was near the ground because of the low light condition.

The pilot reported that he had 35-gallons of fuel when he departed Crystal Airport at 1905. The pilot stated that the flight time, from Crystal Airport to Cloquet Carlton County Airport, was typically 1.2 hours to 1.5 hours. According to the Chief Pilot of the Minneapolis State Police, the fuel burn for the accident helicopter was 25 gallons/hour. In a telephone conversation with the investigator-in-charge, the pilot indicated that he ran out of fuel during the accident flight.