Aerospatiale SA315B N707EX

Summary

On 25 January 1997 at about 20:00 local time, a Aerospatiale SA315B registered N707EX, operated by Gold Kist, Inc., was involved in an accident near Whiteville, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 January 1997 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Whiteville, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.3209, -78.7005

Aircraft

Aerospatiale SA315B

Registration

N707EX

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Gold Kist, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97LA075

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's intentional operation of the helicopter with known deficiencies in equipment and a false indication of the fuel gauge, resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance of the helicopter by company maintenance personnel, and unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an aerial application flight, the low fuel level warning light illuminated. The pilot started his stop watch according to the airplane flight manual and about 6 minutes later while en route to refuel, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. While attempting to clear trees below the pilot purposely bleed the main rotor rpm which resulted in a hard landing. Post crash, fuel was added to the fuel tank and the engine was started and found to operate normally. Post accident testing revealed that when all fuel was drained from the full fuel tank the fuel gauge in the cockpit would register full unless the side of the fuel tank was contacted to dislodge the stuck fuel gauge transmitter. The pilot stated that he has brought the stuck fuel transmitter problem to the attention of the operator but review of the maintenance records revealed no record of the transmitter being repaired or replaced. Review of the flight manual revealed that once the low fuel light illuminates, to fly no longer than 10 minutes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.