Narrative:

It was the third flight of the day, the day before I was briefed by a coworker about the fuel loadings and use of a dipstick (fuel gauges do not work and by regulations far 135 all equipment must be operational on 135 ruled aircraft. The owner with a flight of 5 helicopters managed to convince the FAA to allow him to operate without fuel gauges and using a dipstick). Time up to 10500 should be 12-13 min. I was taking 17 min because I was told had too much fuel on board so I began cutting on my fuel load (now, this is my first week at work). I feel I'm completely guilty of this whole incident and I'm aware that it could have been an accident. I feel that it was pressure by senior coworker and the FAA allowing the fuel gauges not to work contradicting far's. On my way back from a 60 min tour around east maui just on the outside of ATC I got indication of inoperative fuel pumps I look down to fuel pressure it was at 0. I was over water so I headed towards land. 15-20 seconds later the engine stopped. I entered an autorotation and it ended with a successful landing at a cow pasture with no damage to life or property. Thank god! I never called an emergency but said it was a precautionary landing, passenger were air lifted to airport. Fuel was brought out and I took the helicopter home. It was known because I told my chief pilot and how I felt I got into this situation. I have flown over 4000 hours but with the pressure to do as good as the others and the FAA conforming the operators and I being stupid enough to change the rules that are so basic and have kept me in the air for more than 10 yrs, this has been a new and frightening experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI TOUR FLT MAKES EMER LNDG DUE FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: IT WAS THE THIRD FLT OF THE DAY, THE DAY BEFORE I WAS BRIEFED BY A COWORKER ABOUT THE FUEL LOADINGS AND USE OF A DIPSTICK (FUEL GAUGES DO NOT WORK AND BY REGS FAR 135 ALL EQUIP MUST BE OPERATIONAL ON 135 RULED ACFT. THE OWNER WITH A FLT OF 5 HELIS MANAGED TO CONVINCE THE FAA TO ALLOW HIM TO OPERATE WITHOUT FUEL GAUGES AND USING A DIPSTICK). TIME UP TO 10500 SHOULD BE 12-13 MIN. I WAS TAKING 17 MIN BECAUSE I WAS TOLD HAD TOO MUCH FUEL ON BOARD SO I BEGAN CUTTING ON MY FUEL LOAD (NOW, THIS IS MY FIRST WK AT WORK). I FEEL I'M COMPLETELY GUILTY OF THIS WHOLE INCIDENT AND I'M AWARE THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. I FEEL THAT IT WAS PRESSURE BY SENIOR COWORKER AND THE FAA ALLOWING THE FUEL GAUGES NOT TO WORK CONTRADICTING FAR'S. ON MY WAY BACK FROM A 60 MIN TOUR AROUND E MAUI JUST ON THE OUTSIDE OF ATC I GOT INDICATION OF INOP FUEL PUMPS I LOOK DOWN TO FUEL PRESSURE IT WAS AT 0. I WAS OVER WATER SO I HEADED TOWARDS LAND. 15-20 SECONDS LATER THE ENG STOPPED. I ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AND IT ENDED WITH A SUCCESSFUL LNDG AT A COW PASTURE WITH NO DAMAGE TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. THANK GOD! I NEVER CALLED AN EMER BUT SAID IT WAS A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG, PAX WERE AIR LIFTED TO ARPT. FUEL WAS BROUGHT OUT AND I TOOK THE HELI HOME. IT WAS KNOWN BECAUSE I TOLD MY CHIEF PLT AND HOW I FELT I GOT INTO THIS SITUATION. I HAVE FLOWN OVER 4000 HRS BUT WITH THE PRESSURE TO DO AS GOOD AS THE OTHERS AND THE FAA CONFORMING THE OPERATORS AND I BEING STUPID ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE RULES THAT ARE SO BASIC AND HAVE KEPT ME IN THE AIR FOR MORE THAN 10 YRS, THIS HAS BEEN A NEW AND FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.