Inadvertently shut off fuel valve and landed helicopter on four lane boulevard.

Attributes
ACN	93484
Time
Date	198808
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	93484
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After departing long beach airport eastbound, in an small aircraft Y helicopter, I experienced engine failure. I autorotated to a street, san antonio ave. While en route down I broadcasted 3 maydays. After successfully landing I determined the cause of the engine failure and took off. When airborne I contacted the tower and advised them I was okay and was returning to my base at rialto airport where I would contact them by phone. Upon arrival at rialto I called long beach tower and gave my name and answered several questions. No damage or injuries were sustained. The reason for the engine failure was: it was very hot, I reached down to pull open an air vent valve, rather than the air vent handle I pulled the fuel valve handle out and into the closed position which caused the engine failure. The aircraft I usually fly, an small aircraft X, has an air vent in the same area as the small aircraft Y has a fuel valve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADVERTENTLY SHUT OFF FUEL VALVE AND LANDED HELICOPTER ON FOUR LANE BOULEVARD.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING LONG BEACH ARPT EBND, IN AN SMA Y HELI, I EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE. I AUTOROTATED TO A STREET, SAN ANTONIO AVE. WHILE ENRTE DOWN I BROADCASTED 3 MAYDAYS. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY LNDG I DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE AND TOOK OFF. WHEN AIRBORNE I CONTACTED THE TWR AND ADVISED THEM I WAS OKAY AND WAS RETURNING TO MY BASE AT RIALTO ARPT WHERE I WOULD CONTACT THEM BY PHONE. UPON ARR AT RIALTO I CALLED LONG BEACH TWR AND GAVE MY NAME AND ANSWERED SEVERAL QUESTIONS. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE REASON FOR THE ENG FAILURE WAS: IT WAS VERY HOT, I REACHED DOWN TO PULL OPEN AN AIR VENT VALVE, RATHER THAN THE AIR VENT HANDLE I PULLED THE FUEL VALVE HANDLE OUT AND INTO THE CLOSED POS WHICH CAUSED THE ENG FAILURE. THE ACFT I USUALLY FLY, AN SMA X, HAS AN AIR VENT IN THE SAME AREA AS THE SMA Y HAS A FUEL VALVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.