Narrative:

In may/08; I was preparing for my last flight of the day from a platform. The WX conditions were as follows: wind 190-210 degrees at 10-15 KTS; 10+ SM visibility; sky clear; 24 degrees C. I was parked on the southeast side of the helicopter deck sbound 4-5 ft from the edge. The fuel pit is located on the east side of the helicopter deck next to my left skid (the aft portion). I pulled the fuel nozzle from the fuel pit; under the tail boom; to fuel the aircraft (fuel cap on right side). I filled to 550 pounds of jet fuel; and pulled the fuel nozzle back under the tail boom to fuel pit; where I replaced fuel nozzle. I climbed out of fuel pit and walked around rear of aircraft and back to right side to ensure everything was untied (eg; tie-downs; blades). I had 1 passenger climbing in left front seat as I was putting my life vest on and climbing into the right (pilot) seat. I started aircraft and filed a flight plan with my company. I pulled into a 3 ft hover with 70-75% torque. Everything felt as usual (center of gravity and power). I proceeded to pull the collective up and added an additional 5% torque. As the aircraft started to rise; I added forward pressure on the cyclic into a 10 degree nose forward attitude. As I cleared the platform; the nose yawed right and pitched up; as well as the aircraft slowing acceleration slightly. I corrected with left pedal and forward cyclic. At that moment; I realized the fuel hose must be caught on my skid. About 3 seconds later; I felt the fuel hose break loose and heard a 'thud' noise. I continued a normal climb and made a right turn to land on the platform for inspection. Once I landed; I shut down and both me and my passenger exited the aircraft. A few other people came up to the helicopter deck from the lower level. I thoroughly inspected the aircraft and pinpointed where I heard the 'thud' noise come from. After the fuel hose had broken free; it hit the cargo compartment door which is located on the left side of the aircraft. There was no damage. Just a lot of black residue from the fuel hose. I also pinpointed the location that the fuel hose hung up on the left skid. After being 100% sure that the aircraft was undamaged and airworthy; I started it and flew to my base with passenger on board -- about a 60-min flight 1-WAY. Things I could do to avoid this next time: 1) pay closer attention when I do preflight walkarounds. 2) do not ever drape hose over the top of skids when refueling. 3) spend more time in a hover before takeoff to ensure that nothing is hung up on skids.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTS FUEL HOSE CAUGHT ON SKID DURING DEPARTURE FROM OIL PLATFORM.

Narrative: IN MAY/08; I WAS PREPARING FOR MY LAST FLT OF THE DAY FROM A PLATFORM. THE WX CONDITIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS: WIND 190-210 DEGS AT 10-15 KTS; 10+ SM VISIBILITY; SKY CLR; 24 DEGS C. I WAS PARKED ON THE SE SIDE OF THE HELI DECK SBOUND 4-5 FT FROM THE EDGE. THE FUEL PIT IS LOCATED ON THE E SIDE OF THE HELI DECK NEXT TO MY L SKID (THE AFT PORTION). I PULLED THE FUEL NOZZLE FROM THE FUEL PIT; UNDER THE TAIL BOOM; TO FUEL THE ACFT (FUEL CAP ON R SIDE). I FILLED TO 550 LBS OF JET FUEL; AND PULLED THE FUEL NOZZLE BACK UNDER THE TAIL BOOM TO FUEL PIT; WHERE I REPLACED FUEL NOZZLE. I CLBED OUT OF FUEL PIT AND WALKED AROUND REAR OF ACFT AND BACK TO R SIDE TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS UNTIED (EG; TIE-DOWNS; BLADES). I HAD 1 PAX CLBING IN L FRONT SEAT AS I WAS PUTTING MY LIFE VEST ON AND CLBING INTO THE R (PLT) SEAT. I STARTED ACFT AND FILED A FLT PLAN WITH MY COMPANY. I PULLED INTO A 3 FT HOVER WITH 70-75% TORQUE. EVERYTHING FELT AS USUAL (CTR OF GRAVITY AND PWR). I PROCEEDED TO PULL THE COLLECTIVE UP AND ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 5% TORQUE. AS THE ACFT STARTED TO RISE; I ADDED FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CYCLIC INTO A 10 DEG NOSE FORWARD ATTITUDE. AS I CLRED THE PLATFORM; THE NOSE YAWED R AND PITCHED UP; AS WELL AS THE ACFT SLOWING ACCELERATION SLIGHTLY. I CORRECTED WITH L PEDAL AND FORWARD CYCLIC. AT THAT MOMENT; I REALIZED THE FUEL HOSE MUST BE CAUGHT ON MY SKID. ABOUT 3 SECONDS LATER; I FELT THE FUEL HOSE BREAK LOOSE AND HEARD A 'THUD' NOISE. I CONTINUED A NORMAL CLB AND MADE A R TURN TO LAND ON THE PLATFORM FOR INSPECTION. ONCE I LANDED; I SHUT DOWN AND BOTH ME AND MY PAX EXITED THE ACFT. A FEW OTHER PEOPLE CAME UP TO THE HELI DECK FROM THE LOWER LEVEL. I THOROUGHLY INSPECTED THE ACFT AND PINPOINTED WHERE I HEARD THE 'THUD' NOISE COME FROM. AFTER THE FUEL HOSE HAD BROKEN FREE; IT HIT THE CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. JUST A LOT OF BLACK RESIDUE FROM THE FUEL HOSE. I ALSO PINPOINTED THE LOCATION THAT THE FUEL HOSE HUNG UP ON THE L SKID. AFTER BEING 100% SURE THAT THE ACFT WAS UNDAMAGED AND AIRWORTHY; I STARTED IT AND FLEW TO MY BASE WITH PAX ON BOARD -- ABOUT A 60-MIN FLT 1-WAY. THINGS I COULD DO TO AVOID THIS NEXT TIME: 1) PAY CLOSER ATTN WHEN I DO PREFLT WALKAROUNDS. 2) DO NOT EVER DRAPE HOSE OVER THE TOP OF SKIDS WHEN REFUELING. 3) SPEND MORE TIME IN A HOVER BEFORE TKOF TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING IS HUNG UP ON SKIDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.