# Accident 19980214006689A: Enstrm F28C, Broomfield, CO, February 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 14, 1998, 19:49 local time
- Place: Broomfield, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9205° N, 105.0867° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Broomfield, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9205&lon=-105.0867&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5693M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5693M-2009-01-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom F-28C (registry code 3300407, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTRM F28C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360E1AD
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,331 total, 29 in this make and model, 104 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980214006689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA129), Feb 15, 1998: Enstrom F-28C-2 (N5693M), Broomfield, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: water 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…

## Other reports on N5693M (2)

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

- [Incident 19970306007129I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970306007129I), Mar 6, 1997: Enstrm F28C (N5693M), Denver, CO, Minor damage. Narrative: flight instructor, tom wiesner, was giving his father, pat wiesner, flight instruction when the engine started running rough. Instructor tom wiesner…
- [Incident 19930427018579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930427018579I), Apr 27, 1993: Enstrm 280C (N5693M), New Cumberland, PA, Minor damage. Engine quit in flight. Autorated to field. Had fuel exhaustion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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