What happened
The helicopter experienced an unexpected loss of engine power during flight. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot executed a forced landing in a residential backyard. The impact resulted in a hard landing.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of fuel leaks within the fuel system components. However, inspection of the fuel tank confirmed that it was completely empty at the time of the accident. A discrepancy was noted regarding the instrumentation: although the tank was devoid of fuel, the fuel quantity gauge continued to indicate that fuel remained in the tank.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this incident was the depletion of usable fuel. The pilot's reliance on a malfunctioning or inaccurate fuel quantity gauge likely prevented timely recognition of the low fuel state. This led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of power. The owner confirmed that the gauge did not reflect the actual fuel status, creating a dangerous situation where the aircraft appeared to have sufficient fuel when it did not.
Safety message
Pilots must cross-check fuel quantity indicators with physical measurements or other reliable sources, especially if an instrument appears unreliable. Relying solely on a single fuel gauge can lead to catastrophic errors if that gauge fails or provides incorrect readings.