Aerospatiale SA315B accident near Whiteville, North Carolina, January 25, 1997
On January 25, 1997 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA315B (helicopter), registered N707EX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whiteville, North Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional operation of the helicopter with known deficiencies in equipment and a false indication of the fuel gauge, resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance of the helicopter by company maintenance personnel, and unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 1997 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Whiteville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA315B · all SA315Bs on the register
- Registration
- N707EX · no longer on the register · serial 2430
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an aerial application flight, the low fuel level warning light illuminated. The pilot started his stop watch according to the airplane flight manual and about 6 minutes later while en route to refuel, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. While attempting to clear trees below the pilot purposely bleed the main rotor rpm which resulted in a hard landing. Post crash, fuel was added to the fuel tank and the engine was started and found to operate normally. Post accident testing revealed that when all fuel was drained from the full fuel tank the fuel gauge in the cockpit would register full unless the side of the fuel tank was contacted to dislodge the stuck fuel gauge transmitter. The pilot stated that he has brought the stuck fuel transmitter problem to the attention of the operator but review of the maintenance records revealed no record of the transmitter being repaired or replaced. Review of the flight manual revealed that once the low fuel light illuminates, to fly no longer than 10 minutes.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,968 hours in all; 1,987 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,969 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,337 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 1997; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,070 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE III (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gold Kist, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ILM, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.