Event CHI94LA144

Factual narrative

On May 1, 1994, at 2020 hours central daylight time, an amphibian Helio H-800, N4104D, operated by T. J. Farms of St. Cloud, Minnesota, was substantially damaged 10 miles northeast of St. Cloud Municipal Airport, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The pilot experienced a total loss of engine power and made a forced landing on a gravel road. The amphibious float equipped airplane went over an embankment, dragged a float tip in soft gravel, and came to a stop upside down. The private pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident and winds were calm. The flight originated at Princeton Municipal Airport, Princeton, Minnesota, at 2015 hours central standard time to reposition the airplane to a private strip at Long Lake, southeast of St. Cloud, Minnesota. No flight plan was filed. Installation of amphibious floats had just been completed on the airplane. The pilot stated he had departed Cambridge Municipal Airport, Cambridge, Minnesota, 2.3 tachometer hours earlier with an estimated 45 gallons of fuel, performed touch and go landings, and was on his final leg of this flight. The pilot also stated he believes he exhausted his fuel supply. The fuel consumption of the Lycoming IO-720A engine installed on the H-800 is 33 gallons per hour (gph) at takeoff rated power and 23 gph at 75% cruise power as per Lycoming data. This was confirmed by the pilot and FAA inspector on scene. Post crash investigation revealed no fuel in the tanks, nor any indication of fuel spillage on the ground below the wreckage. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 2.3 HOURS AFTER HIS INITIAL DEPARTURE WITH 45 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE AMPHIBIOUS FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. HIS ESTIMATION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS 39 GALLONS PER HOUR (GPH) AT TAKEOFF POWER AND 23 GPH AT CRUISE. SEVERAL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WERE PERFORMED DURING THE FLIGHT. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A GRAVEL ROAD. DURING LANDING, THE FLOAT NOSE WHEELS DUG INTO SOFT GRAVEL AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ENGINE ANOMOLIES, NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE TANKS, NOR ANY INDICATION OF FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE BELIEVED HE EXHAUSTED HIS FUEL SUPPLY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12