Incident Overview
During an agricultural operation, a helicopter lost engine power due to fuel exhaustion while flying at low altitude. The aircraft subsequently made a hard landing on soft terrain, causing the right skid to dig in and the helicopter to roll over. The pilot was not injured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had just dispensed a load of gelled gasoline to burn windrows of brush. After landing and refilling the chemical tank, the pilot checked the remaining fuel with a dip stick and determined there was enough to dispense a second load. While flying downwind and releasing the gelled gasoline at an altitude of about 15 feet over a windrow, the engine lost power as a result of fuel exhaustion. The helicopter then landed hard on soft ground; the right skid caught in the terrain, and the aircraft rolled onto its side.
Pilot Statement
The pilot acknowledged that he should have used time as a measure of fuel consumption rather than comparing the fuel quantity to the amount of gel used. He reported that he had flown approximately three hours without refueling before the accident.