Overview
A helicopter experienced a loss of engine power while being positioned for an aerial application project. The pilot, before departure, checked the fuel quantity indicator and estimated that 30 minutes of fuel remained. The planned flight was estimated to take 10 minutes. During the flight, the engine lost power, prompting the pilot to perform an autorotation, which ended in a hard landing.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuel tank was empty. Additionally, the fuel gauge test switch was found to be defective. According to reports, the defective switch would result in an inaccurate fuel quantity indication. No other pre-accident failures or deficiencies were identified.
Findings
The pilot relied on a fuel quantity indicator that provided inaccurate information due to a defective test switch. The fuel exhaustion led to the engine power loss and subsequent autorotation. The hard landing concluded the event without further incident.