Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A accident near Le Sueur, Minnesota, July 27, 2018
On July 27, 2018 at about 2:00 am local time, a 1974 Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A (helicopter), registered N9005T, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Le Sueur, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight fuel planning, during which he did not visually check the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks and instead relied on the fuel gauges that were showing erroneous fuel quantity indications, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2018 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Le Sueur, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A, built 1974
- Registration
- N9005T · registry record · serial CCI-74-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that, during the preflight inspection of the helicopter before the agricultural flight, there were about 23 gallons of fuel onboard, which he determined was sufficient to complete the 45- to 60-minute flight to his destination. The pilot stated that, before departure, the helicopter fuel gauge indicated "close" to 3/4 full. Based on the helicopter's total fuel capacity (41 gallons), a 3/4-fuel quantity indication would have equated to about 30 gallons. About 50 minutes into the flight and 7 miles from the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a field, during which the helicopter impacted terrain and sustained substantial damage. During postaccident examination of the helicopter, no usable fuel was found; however, the fuel gauge indicated a little over a 1/4 tank of fuel remaining. The examination revealed that the fuel transmitter's resistive element was corroded. The fuel transmitter was tested, and the resistive values were uncorrelated to the transmitter's float position. A new fuel transmitter from the operator's parts department was tested, and the resistive values corresponded to the float position no anomalies were noted. Although the fuel gauge was indicating that a sufficient amount of fuel was onboard for the flight, the pilot should have visually checked the fuel quantity in the tanks before takeoff to ensure that a sufficient amount of fuel was onboard for the flight, which he did not do. His improper preflight fuel planning and his dependence on erroneous fuel gauges led to the subsequent fuel exhaustion and total loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Inoperative
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 327 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 237 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 25, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,510.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scotts Helicopter Service Inc
The flight
- Departed from: Hastings MN at 1:09 am
- Destination: 12Y Le Sueur MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from MKT, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Correspondence - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Type Certificate Data Sheet Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Helicopter Association International Supplemental Accident Checklist | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N9005T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.