Narrative:

The article in 'callback' about the helicopter pilot pulling the fuel valve instead of the air vent really hit home. Our san diego based pilot had almost the exact same thing happen to him a few weeks ago, except it was the right front passenger who thought he'd do the pilot a favor and open his vent for him! The passenger's hand was on the knob when the pilot saw what was happening, shouted and knocked the passenger's hand from the knob. And they were at 50' AGL on pwrline patrol in very rugged terrain. Yes, model X is a mfr X series helicopter and the 'aircraft I usually fly' is a mfg Y series machine. The problem has occurred before and it will happen again. Thanks to the aviation division of southern ca edison, our local utility, we've now solved the problem for a total cost of $.15. And it involves absolutely no modification to the aircraft. Please contact the pilot who reported the problem to you and suggest that he contact me for the '15 cent solution.' no charge, of course. We're happy to help. Manufacturer won't touch this problem with a 10' pole, for obvious reasons. I wish I knew of a way to let all 500 owners know about the problem, and the simple solution. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states use of pvc pipe to shield fuel valve so it cannot be inadvertently selected has solved problem for his operations. Indicates he will send sketch of installation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGER CONFUSION RE AIR VENT AND FUEL VALVE POSES HAZARD FOR HELI ON POWERLINE PATROL.

Narrative: THE ARTICLE IN 'CALLBACK' ABOUT THE HELI PLT PULLING THE FUEL VALVE INSTEAD OF THE AIR VENT REALLY HIT HOME. OUR SAN DIEGO BASED PLT HAD ALMOST THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN TO HIM A FEW WKS AGO, EXCEPT IT WAS THE RIGHT FRONT PAX WHO THOUGHT HE'D DO THE PLT A FAVOR AND OPEN HIS VENT FOR HIM! THE PAX'S HAND WAS ON THE KNOB WHEN THE PLT SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, SHOUTED AND KNOCKED THE PAX'S HAND FROM THE KNOB. AND THEY WERE AT 50' AGL ON PWRLINE PATROL IN VERY RUGGED TERRAIN. YES, MODEL X IS A MFR X SERIES HELI AND THE 'ACFT I USUALLY FLY' IS A MFG Y SERIES MACHINE. THE PROB HAS OCCURRED BEFORE AND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THANKS TO THE AVIATION DIVISION OF SOUTHERN CA EDISON, OUR LCL UTILITY, WE'VE NOW SOLVED THE PROB FOR A TOTAL COST OF $.15. AND IT INVOLVES ABSOLUTELY NO MODIFICATION TO THE ACFT. PLEASE CONTACT THE PLT WHO RPTED THE PROB TO YOU AND SUGGEST THAT HE CONTACT ME FOR THE '15 CENT SOLUTION.' NO CHARGE, OF COURSE. WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP. MANUFACTURER WON'T TOUCH THIS PROB WITH A 10' POLE, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. I WISH I KNEW OF A WAY TO LET ALL 500 OWNERS KNOW ABOUT THE PROB, AND THE SIMPLE SOLUTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES USE OF PVC PIPE TO SHIELD FUEL VALVE SO IT CANNOT BE INADVERTENTLY SELECTED HAS SOLVED PROB FOR HIS OPS. INDICATES HE WILL SEND SKETCH OF INSTALLATION.

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.