ATX HELI DAMAGED LNDG WHEN ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION.
Synopsis
ATX HELI DAMAGED LNDG WHEN ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION.
Narrative
WX ON THE WAY OUT WAS SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS FROM TOWERING CUMULUS. DISCHARGED PAX AND CARGO AT DEST. PICKED UP CARGO AND PAX 350# FUEL. STOPPED AT A PLATFORM 5 MINS AWAY TO DISCHARGE CARGO. RPTED FOR HOUMA. 10 MINS LATER HAD TO RETURN TO ORIGINAL DEST TO DISCHARGE CARGO SOMEONE HAD FORGOTTEN TO OFFLOAD. DEPARTED AGAIN FOR HOUMA; 225# FUEL. RAIN SHOWERS HAD BY THIS TIME FORMED INTO LINES AND IT HAD TO DEVIATE EWARD TO GO AROUND. WHEN FUEL REACHED 100 LBS I BEGAN LOOKING FOR A PLACE IN THE MARSHES TO LAND. NOTIFIED MY CTLING AGENCY OF MY LOCATION AND THAT WX WOULD NOT PERMIT ME TO PROCEED TO HOUMA. WAITED ON THE GND FOR 30 MINS OR SO UNTIL WX LOOKED CLR ENOUGH IN OUR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. GAUGE INDICATION 80 LBS FUEL REMAINING; VISUAL IN TANK INDICATED 100 LBS OR SO. DISTANCE TO DEST WAS 17 NM ACCORDING TO THE LORAN WHILE ON THE GND I ASKED CTLING AGENCY IF THEY COULD GET FUEL TO ME. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO DO SO. I TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE TIGHT ON FUEL BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE IT TO HOUMA. WHEN I REACHED HOUMA THE GAUGE HIT 0 AND I STARTED TO DSND FOR LNDG. OVER THE RWYS THE ENG GAVE INDICATIONS OF QUITTING. I LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND ENTERED AUTO ROTATION AT ABOUT 100' AGL. UPON T/D I PULLED AFT ON THE CYCLIC TO CUSHION AND SLOW GND RUN. MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AFT VERT IN AND TAIL BOOM.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.