Summary
On February 28, 2018, a Bell 47G (N7800S) was involved in an accident near Pixley, CA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot’s failure to ensure that adequate fuel was on board for the flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to complete the flight due to impending rain.
The pilot reported that after landing and during the loading for the next chemical agricultural application flight with the engine running, he exited the helicopter to speak to the owner of the property he was spraying. He could not remember if he had instructed the ground crewman to fuel the helicopter or not. Additionally, the pilot stated that prior to takeoff he failed to check the fuel level and was unaware that the ground crewman had not refueled the helicopter. After takeoff and completing only one spray pass, the engine lost power. The pilot opined that he "just ran out of fuel." Unable to make it back to the loading area, he landed in a grove of trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the helicopter.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR18CA096. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7800S.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot’s failure to ensure that adequate fuel was on board for the flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to complete the flight due to impending rain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that after landing and during the loading for the next chemical agricultural application flight with the engine running, he exited the helicopter to speak to the owner of the property he was spraying. He could not remember if he had instructed the ground crewman to fuel the helicopter or not. Additionally, the pilot stated that prior to takeoff he failed to check the fuel level and was unaware that the ground crewman had not refueled the helicopter. After takeoff and completing only one spray pass, the engine lost power. The pilot opined that he "just ran out of fuel." Unable to make it back to the loading area, he landed in a grove of trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the helicopter. The pilot also mentioned that due to the approaching rain, he was in a hurry to get the field sprayed before it arrived.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR18CA096