Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD N4045

Summary

On 28 January 2018 at about 20:30 local time, a Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD registered N4045 was involved in an accident near Harrisville, New York, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 January 2018 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Harrisville, New York, United States

Coordinates

44.2978, -75.2469

Aircraft

Vertical Aviation Technologies 260L HUMMINGBIRD

Registration

N4045

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2010

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Potsdam → Harrisville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18TA076

Nobody was injured.

The failure of an electric fuel pump, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during cruise flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in an experimental amateur-built helicopter that was equipped with an automobile engine. When the airplane was about 6 miles from the destination and at a cruise altitude of 500 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered once and then lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation into a low-lying valley with short trees. During the landing, the main and tail rotors contacted the trees, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident testing revealed that one of the two electric fuel pumps did not operate when direct current was applied to it, indicating that the pump had failed during flight. According to the manufacturer, both fuel pumps are to be used for takeoff and landing, but only one fuel pump is necessary during cruise flight. The pilot was using one fuel pump during cruise flight, and the fuel pump that failed was likely the one in use at the time. The fuel pump failure resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.