Accident Hughes 369HS N9146F, Friday 7 June 1985

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Date:	Friday 7 June 1985
Time:	17:45 LT
Type:	Hughes 369HS
Owner/operator:	South Carolina Helicopter Inc.
Registration:	N9146F
MSN:	830508S
Year of manufacture:	1973
Total airframe hrs:	1840 hours
Engine model:	Allison 250-C18A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Aiken, SC - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	Saluda, SC
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
DURING A LANDING, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PLT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE 15 MIN FLT, THE FUEL GAGE WAS INDICATING 125 LBS OF FUEL & AT THE ACCIDENT SITE IT INDICATED 90 LBS OF FUEL. A POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT 3 SUPPORT BRACKETS WERE NOT INSTALLED IN THE FUEL CELL & ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL WAS REMAINING. THE ABSENCE OF THE BRACKETS PERMITTED THE FUEL CELL TO COLLAPSE AS FUEL WAS CONSUMED & RESULTED IN ERRONEOUS FUEL GAGE READINGS. THE FUEL LOW CAUTION INDICATOR WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE DUE TO A CANNON PLUG THAT WAS IMPROPERLY WIRED.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: