Hughes 369D accident near Carlisle, Washington, November 24, 2015
On November 24, 2015 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N50713, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Carlisle, Washington. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the improper calibration of the fuel quantity gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2015 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Carlisle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N50713 · registry record · serial 710982D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, while relocating the helicopter to a staging area to refuel, the engine experienced a total loss of power. He initiated an autorotation to a partially-wooded area, where the helicopter touched down and rolled onto its right side. The pilot stated that, before the loss of engine power, he noticed that the fuel quantity indication was not decreasing as he would have expected. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel quantity gauge indicated more fuel in the fuel tank than the amount that was physically present. This erroneous fuel level indication led the pilot to believe that more fuel was available than what was in the fuel tanks, and subsequently resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
- Roll over during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Malfunction
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity sensor › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,092 hours in all; 624 in this make and model; 183 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 1,008 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,942.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 13, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Olympic Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: Hoquiam WA at 5:25 pm
- Destination: Carlisle WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 5:25 pm from KHQM, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.