N59541

On October 16, 2014, a Bell 206B (N59541) was involved in an incident near Prattville, AL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

The helicopter pilot stated that the purpose of the approximate 2-hour cross-country flight was to perform aerial mapping of powerlines. The helicopter was due for a fuel pump replacement at the end of the flight and maintenance personnel requested that the pilot land with as little fuel as possible. He departed with 60 gallons of fuel and thought he would land with about 10 gallons; however, the flight took longer than the pilot anticipated. About 2 hours, 15 minutes into the flight, as the helicopter was in a 50-foot hover over the destination airport, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a taxiway, but the helicopter landed hard and the tailboom separated.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA15CA018. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N59541.