Helio H-295 N99PM

Summary

On 25 June 2011 at about 21:30 local time, a Helio H-295 registered N99PM, operated by Gary Schmitt, was involved in an accident near Brasstown, North Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 2011 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Brasstown, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.0528, -83.9381

Aircraft

Helio H-295

Registration

N99PM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gary Schmitt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Franklin → Brasstown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11CA364

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While the flight was descending for landing, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot was able restore engine power for a few seconds, but the engine then sputtered and lost power again. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, so he set up a glide for the airstrip he was descending to. There was a headwind and, when he realized he could not make the airstrip, the pilot performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane's landing gear struck the top of a tree and the airplane pitched down and impacted the ground, where it sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed that all of the fuel tanks were devoid of fuel and only three drops of fuel were discovered in the carburetor and fuel supply line. The pilot stated that there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction of the airplane or engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.