Atx helicopter damaged landing when engine quit because of fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	93582
Time
Date	198809
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hum
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hum tower : oma
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	93582
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX on the way out was scattered rain showers from towering cumulus. Discharged passenger and cargo at destination. Picked up cargo and passenger 350# fuel. Stopped at a platform 5 mins away to discharge cargo. Reported for houma. 10 mins later had to return to original destination to discharge cargo someone had forgotten to offload. Departed again for houma, 225# fuel. Rain showers had by this time formed into lines and it had to deviate eward to go around. When fuel reached 100 pounds I began looking for a place in the marshes to land. Notified my controling agency of my location and that WX would not permit me to proceed to houma. Waited on the ground for 30 mins or so until WX looked clear enough in our direction of travel. Gauge indication 80 pounds fuel remaining, visual in tank indicated 100 pounds or so. Distance to destination was 17 NM according to the LORAN while on the ground I asked controling agency if they could get fuel to me. I was informed that they really didn't have any way to do so. I told them we would be tight on fuel but I thought there was enough to make it to houma. When I reached houma the gauge hit 0 and I started to descend for landing. Over the runways the engine gave indications of quitting. I lowered collective and entered automatic rotation at about 100' AGL. Upon T/D I pulled aft on the cyclic to cushion and slow ground run. Main rotor blade struck aft vertical in and tail boom.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX HELI DAMAGED LNDG WHEN ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: WX ON THE WAY OUT WAS SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS FROM TOWERING CUMULUS. DISCHARGED PAX AND CARGO AT DEST. PICKED UP CARGO AND PAX 350# FUEL. STOPPED AT A PLATFORM 5 MINS AWAY TO DISCHARGE CARGO. RPTED FOR HOUMA. 10 MINS LATER HAD TO RETURN TO ORIGINAL DEST TO DISCHARGE CARGO SOMEONE HAD FORGOTTEN TO OFFLOAD. DEPARTED AGAIN FOR HOUMA, 225# FUEL. RAIN SHOWERS HAD BY THIS TIME FORMED INTO LINES AND IT HAD TO DEVIATE EWARD TO GO AROUND. WHEN FUEL REACHED 100 LBS I BEGAN LOOKING FOR A PLACE IN THE MARSHES TO LAND. NOTIFIED MY CTLING AGENCY OF MY LOCATION AND THAT WX WOULD NOT PERMIT ME TO PROCEED TO HOUMA. WAITED ON THE GND FOR 30 MINS OR SO UNTIL WX LOOKED CLR ENOUGH IN OUR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. GAUGE INDICATION 80 LBS FUEL REMAINING, VISUAL IN TANK INDICATED 100 LBS OR SO. DISTANCE TO DEST WAS 17 NM ACCORDING TO THE LORAN WHILE ON THE GND I ASKED CTLING AGENCY IF THEY COULD GET FUEL TO ME. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO DO SO. I TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE TIGHT ON FUEL BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE IT TO HOUMA. WHEN I REACHED HOUMA THE GAUGE HIT 0 AND I STARTED TO DSND FOR LNDG. OVER THE RWYS THE ENG GAVE INDICATIONS OF QUITTING. I LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND ENTERED AUTO ROTATION AT ABOUT 100' AGL. UPON T/D I PULLED AFT ON THE CYCLIC TO CUSHION AND SLOW GND RUN. MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AFT VERT IN AND TAIL BOOM.

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.