Incident Overview
During flight, the fuel pump warning light illuminated, and the pilot diverted toward a local airport. En route, the engine surged and then flamed out. As the pilot attempted to land, the helicopter's rotor blades struck trees, and the aircraft made a hard landing.
Fuel System Examination
After the incident, the fuel gauge indicated 11 gallons. Subsequently, it showed 14 gallons, but only five gallons were drained from the tank. When the tank was empty, the gauge still indicated eight gallons. No fuel was found in the airframe filter. However, after the fuel boost pump was turned on, fuel was present in the high-pressure (HP) filter.
Pilot's Report
In the accident report, the pilot stated: "Due to the faulty fuel boost pump and inaccurate fuel gage reading, aircraft sustained engine failure due to fuel starvation."