PASCAGOULA, MS, USA
N6612C
HUGHES 369D
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT AT 300 FEET WHEN THE HELICOPTER YAWED AND THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT AND AUDIO WARNINGS CAME ON. HE THEN NOTICED THE AUTO REIGNITION LIGHT ON. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE HELICOPTER WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION, AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED THROUGH TREES AND COLLIDED WITH WATER. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED ON TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND FILLED WITH WATER. THE CREW EXITED THE HELICOPTER. AFTER SPENDING 1 DAY AT THE CRASH SITE AWAITING RESCUE THE CREW WALKED TO SAFETY. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE REASON FOR POWER LOSS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THE FUEL CONTROL INLET SCREEN WAS CLOGGED WITH METAL CONTAMINATION AND WAS BYPASSING THE FILTER. NO OTHER EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE REASON FOR LOSS OF POWER WAS NOTED.
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETECTED FOREIGN MATTER CONTAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL. THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA WAS A FACOTR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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