Investigation Summary
The aircraft, known as the Telecopter, was equipped with heavy external camera equipment and was returning to Burbank after a mission over Santa Barbara. At 12:25 pm, Powers informed KNBC that he was returning and believed he had sufficient fuel. However, shortly after, he requested an emergency landing at Van Nuys Airport due to low fuel. The NTSB investigation found only five fluid ounces of fuel remaining in the entire system, confirming a total flameout. A significant factor in the crash was the pilot's attempt to avoid people on the ground during the final stages of the power-off autorotation. At approximately 50 feet above ground level, the tail rotor separated from the airframe, and the helicopter flipped upside down upon impact. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the fuel exhaustion.
Final Conclusions
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the probable causes were improper in-flight decisions and mismanagement of fuel by the pilot in command, which led to fuel exhaustion. The board also cited improper operation of flight controls during the power-off autorotation as a contributing factor.
Video Analysis
Short News report of the death of Francis Gary Powers — Original 1977 news broadcast reporting on the helicopter crash that killed former U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers in Encino, California.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Francis Gary Powers
Systems & Failure Modes
Allison 250-C20B Turboshaft
The single engine flamed out due to fuel starvation, necessitating an immediate autorotation.
Fuel Gauge
Reports suggested the gauge previously indicated empty when 30 minutes of fuel remained, but it may have been repaired without the pilot's knowledge, potentially misleading him.
Interesting Facts
- 01The pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was the same pilot shot down over the Soviet Union in a U-2 spy plane in 1960.
- 02The NTSB found only five fluid ounces of jet fuel remaining in the aircraft's fuel system.
- 03The helicopter was modified with an external 360-degree video camera and recording equipment.
- 04No one on the ground was injured despite the crash occurring near a group of teenagers playing baseball.
- 05The aircraft was not equipped with a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) or Flight Data Recorder (FDR).
- 06The aircraft was serial number 433, built in 1969.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Maintenance Communication Protocols
The investigation highlighted the critical importance of ensuring pilots are explicitly notified of maintenance performed on flight instruments, particularly when such maintenance alters the known behavior or 'offset' of a gauge that the pilot may have become accustomed to relying upon.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Fuel Gauge Calibration
Reference ↗It was alleged that the helicopter's fuel gauge had a known defect where it read empty with 30 minutes of fuel remaining. Powers may have been relying on this offset, unaware that the gauge had recently been repaired to show an accurate reading.