Flight to exhaustion

[Mars]

Why?

NTSB Identification: WPR09CA462
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, September 22, 2009 in Page, AZ
Aircraft: AGUSTA A109, registration: N129AL
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.The pilot reported that 35 miles from the destination the low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 2 illuminated, followed by a low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 1. The pilot continued to fly towards the destination. Approximately one mile from the destination airport the helicopter experienced a dual engine flame-out. The pilot autorotated to a sports field where the helicopter landed hard, sustaining damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, tail boom, and horizontal stabilizer.

The pilot reported that 35 miles from the destination the low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 2 illuminated, followed by a low fuel caution-warning for fuel tank 1. The pilot continued to fly towards the destination. Approximately one mile from the destination airport the helicopter experienced a dual engine flame-out. The pilot autorotated to a sports field where the helicopter landed hard, sustaining damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, tail boom, and horizontal stabilizer.

The pilot stated that the helicopter and engines had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

[Fortyodd2]

Not actually qualified on the 109 myself but this does sound like a very bad case of "System functioned as advertised"!! :ok:

[Ewe Turn]

I always think of Gary Powers, the U2 pilot who got shot down over Russia when I hear of incidents like this. It's worth bearing in mind.

From Wiki

Powers died, aged 47, on August 1, 1977, when, upon his return from covering brush fires in Santa Barbara county, his helicopter ran out of fuel and crashed just a few miles from Burbank Airport where he was based.[4] KNBC cameraman George Spears was also killed in the incident. Many have wondered or speculated on how an experienced pilot such as Powers could have allowed the aircraft to run out of fuel. According to Powers' son, Powers had reported a fuel gauge error to the mechanics. When the plane's fuel gauge indicator displayed "Empty," he actually had enough fuel for 30 more minutes of flight time. Apparently the aviation mechanic fixed the fuel gauge in the KNBC helicopter, but did not tell Powers of the correction. When he was returning to Burbank from the aforementioned brush fire coverage (live helicopter coverage now being common and ubiquitous throughout Southern California for brush fires and other breaking news) Powers ran out of fuel and subsequently crashed in a field in the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area. Eyewitnesses suggested that Powers attempted to autorotate the helicopter onto recreational fields at this location. However, he intentionally banked to avoid children on the fields and ultimately crashed the helicopter into an adjacent agricultural field, resulting in the aircraft rolling and the occupants' deaths.

[Dantruck]

Why?

Poor Airmanship...that's why.

Firstly, the gauge is only one indication of fuel remaining, and variable from ship to ship, let alone from type to type or manufacturer to manufacturer. The other, better, indicator, is knowing your burn rate, how much fuel you last uplifted (plus a conservative estimate of fuel already aboard) and dividing one by the other. Easy Peasy!

Secondly, when that warning light comes on you simply put it on the ground. That's why it's called a helicopter :rolleyes:

No use blaming the gauge, the warning lights or any other component. It's the nut holding the wheel that fails the most, even on a 109.

Dan