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| Date: | Wednesday 1 January 2014 |
| Time: | 15:07 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 130B4 |
| Owner/operator: | Papillon Airways Inc. |
| Registration: | N133GC |
| MSN: | 3883 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10321 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Boulder City Municipal Airport (KBVU), NV -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Boulder City, NV (KBVU) |
| Boulder City, NV (KBVU) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot stated that, during a postmaintenance operational check flight and while on final approach for landing, the fuel pressure indicator light illuminated, and the engine “flamed out.” The pilot lowered the collective to initiate an autorotation; however, due to the low altitude and airspeed, the helicopter subsequently landed hard and rolled over.
During a postaccident examination of the wreckage, a main fuel supply line B-nut fitting was found without the safety wire, and the nut was loose when turned by hand. Before the accident flight, the line had been disconnected during a task to replace the bidirectional suspension cross-bar assembly, and the accident flight was the first flight since the task was performed. According to the noncertificated maintenance technician who performed the task, the line was removed to defuel the fuel tank, which was contrary to manufacturer’s maintenance manual instructions. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the B-nut fitting was not properly tightened and safety-wired during reassembly, which allowed it to back off due to normal engine vibration and resulted in the interruption of the fuel flow during flight.
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the noncertificated maintenance technician’s failure to properly tighten and safety wire a B-nut fitting. Contributing to the accident was the maintenance technician’s failure to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance manual instructions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Jan-2014 08:29 | gerard57 | Added |
| 03-Jan-2014 09:54 | gerard57 | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 03-Jan-2014 13:49 | harro | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, ] |
| 03-Jan-2014 19:57 | Geno | Updated [Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ] |
| 03-Jan-2014 20:01 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 05-Jan-2014 21:55 | TB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, ] |
| 10-Jan-2014 00:51 | Geno | Updated [Time, Operator, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 20-Aug-2014 06:22 | Aerossurance | Updated [Phase, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Oct-2014 17:25 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 24-Jul-2015 14:33 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 12-Aug-2015 16:58 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 29-Nov-2017 13:21 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 22-Dec-2018 08:53 | Isabella Barbiero | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, ] |
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