MD 600N, Vicksburg, Miss., Feb. 6, 2007–The NTSB said the loss of engine power on the MD 600, which landed hard on a logging road, was due to fuel starvation because the fuel transfer check valve was stuck in the closed position. The pilot was en route to refuel the helicopter, cruising at 115 knots at 500 feet agl, when the engine quit. The pilot autorotated and landed on the road, surrounded by tall trees. There was structural damage to the tail boom and main rotor blades.
The FAA and a manufacturer’s representative found that a fuel transfer check valve in
the aft section of the fuel tank that receives fuel from the forward section of the fuel tank was stuck in the closed position, which resulted in fuel starvation. The helicopter is registered to K-Tek Aircraft, Baton Rouge, La.