LOLO, MT, USA
N95NW
Garlick UH-1H
The pilot reported that his fuel gauge showed 150 lbs of fuel remaining and he decided to move a large stump prior to landing. As he was hovering about 150 feet over the stump waiting for the stump to be hooked up, the helicopter suddenly lost power. He made a tight spiral down to the service landing area, but landed very hard.
On May 22, 1997, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, N95NW, a Bell UH-1H, sustained substantial damage when it lost power and landed hard near Lolo, Montana. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions with no flight plan filed. The flight had departed the same area about 1010. The pilot reported that the fuel gauge showed 150 pounds and he decided to remove a large stump to the slash pile prior to landing. The stump was situated approximately 40 feet from the service landing area. As he was hovering about 150 feet over the stump waiting for the stump to be hooked up, the helicopter suddenly lost power. He made a tight spiral down to the service landing area, but landed very hard. The operator reported no mechanical malfunctions and listed the engine failure as "fuel exhaustion". An FAA inspector who inspected the wreckage, stated that a total of about 1 and 1/2 gal of fuel was drained from the tanks.
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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