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19980214006689A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Enstrm F-28C · Broomfield, CO · February 14, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 14, 1998 · 19:49 local
Place
Broomfield, CO
Phase of flight
Forced Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5693M
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA129
Reported as
Enstrm F28C
Reported engine
Lycoming HIO360E1AD
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,331 total29 in this make and model104 in the last 90 days
N5693MRegistration cancelled Jan 14, 2009 · Enstrom F-28CS/N 489-2 · Built 1980Airframe modelEnstrom F-28CEngine modelLycoming HIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Reported power loss. Autorotated 2 mile from bjc. No direct cause has been found. Investigated continuing. (.4)the pilot said he noticed that the low fuel pressure warning light had illuminated 'along with engine roughness.' Suspecting an imminent fuel pump failure, he turned on the electric fuel pump and diverted toward a nearby airport. While on the initial landing approach, the engine lost power. As the pilot made an autorotation towards an open field, the engine began to surge. Approaching the field, the pilot turned on the landing light and caught a glimpse of powerlines. To avoid a collision, he made a pedal turn to the right. While maneuvering to avoid a collision, the main rotor RPM decayed and the helicopter struck the ground. A postaccident fuel sample taken from the engine sump disclosed water in the fuel. The source of water contamination could not be determined. The helicopter had flown several times that day, and had been serviced by an airport refueling truck. No other reports of fuel contamination were received from aircraft operators serviced by the same truck. (-23)aircraft reportedly lost power and pilot in command put aircraft down 2 miles short of bjc. Flight originated at apa and was due to end at same.

As the FAA filed it

REPORTED POWER LOSS. AUTOROTATED 2 MILE FROM BJC. NO DIRECT CAUSE HAS BEEN FOUND. INVESTIGATED CONTINUING. (.4)THE PILOT SAID HE NOTICED THAT THE LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED 'ALONG WITH ENGINE ROUGHNESS.' SUSPECTING AN IMMINENT FUEL PUMP FAILURE, HE TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND DIVERTED TOWARD A NEARBY AIRPORT. WHILE ON THE INITIAL LANDING APPROACH, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AS THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION TOWARDS AN OPEN FIELD, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. APPROACHING THE FIELD, THE PILOT TURNED ON THE LANDING LIGHT AND CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF POWERLINES. TO AVOID A COLLISION, HE MADE A PEDAL TURN TO THE RIGHT. WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID A COLLISION, THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND. A POSTACCIDENT FUEL SAMPLE TAKEN FROM THE ENGINE SUMP DISCLOSED WATER IN THE FUEL. THE SOURCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE HELICOPTER HAD FLOWN SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY, AND HAD BEEN SERVICED BY AN AIRPORT REFUELING TRUCK. NO OTHER REPORTS OF FUEL CONTAMINATION WERE RECEIVED FROM AIRCRAFT OPERATORS SERVICED BY THE SAME TRUCK. (-23)AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY LOST POWER AND PILOT IN COMMAND PUT AIRCRAFT DOWN 2 MILES SHORT OF BJC. FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT APA AND WAS DUE TO END AT SAME.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA129Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBroomfield, COwater contamination in the fuel, which resulted in loss of engine power and a forced (autorotative) landing. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness; and a high obstruction in the emergency landing area.Feb 15, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5693M · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19970306007129IPwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft · Denver, CONarrative: flight instructor, tom wiesner, was giving his father, pat wiesner, flight instruction when the engine started running rough. Instructor tom wiesner elected to land the helicopter in grass near dove valley road and the main rotor blade came in…Mar 6, 1997 · Minor damageIncident 19930427018579IPwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · New Cumberland, PAEngine quit in flight. Autorated to field. Had fuel exhaustion.Apr 27, 1993 · Reported as Enstrm 280C · Minor damage