# Accident 19980804019539A: Enstrm F28F, Bryc Canyon, UT, August 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 4, 1998, 14:30 local time
- Place: Bryc Canyon, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Run Land (Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: AQ6A
- Location: 37.6283° N, 112.1677° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bryce Canyon, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6283&lon=-112.1677&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8619M (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ENSTRM F28F
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360F1AD
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,942 total, 684 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA342) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980804019539A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER WAS TAKING OFF FOR A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT WHEN IT LOST POWER AND LANDED OFF THE FIELD IN THE SAGE BRUSH ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF THE ARPT. (.19)ON AUGUST 4, 1998, AT 1445 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ENSTROM F-28F HELICOPTER, N8619M, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF NEAR BRYCE CANYON, UTAH.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS LOCAL AREA FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.            (.4) THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING TO THE EAST WHEN HE NOTICED A DROP IN ROTOR RPM. HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE, BUT NO POWER WAS BEING PRODUCED FROM THE ENGINE. HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND PERFORMED A HIGH ALTITUDE RUN ON LANDING. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE HELICOPTER SLID APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 FEET. THE LEFT SKID WAS CAUGHT IN GROUND BRUSH, AND THE LEFT FRONT SUPPORT OF THE LANDING GEAR WAS BROKEN. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT, AND WHILE STILL ROTATING, IMPACTED THE SKID BAR, SHEARING THE BAR OFF AND SEPARATING THE GEAR BOX FROM THE TAIL. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. POSTACCIDENT       EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THE TURBOCHARGER HAD LEAKED OIL INTO THE INDUCTION SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO HIS ACCIDENT REPORT, `THE SLIGHT POWER LOSS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE OIL LEAKAGE PASS[ING] THE SEALS IN THE TURBOCHARGER.' (-23)PILOT INDICATED HE EXPERIENCE A PARTIAL POWER LOSE ON TAKEOFF.  HE MADE A RUNNING LANDING ONTO THE SOGE BRUSH CAUSING THE LEFT SKID TO PARTIALLY SAIL.  UPON ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND ROTOR DISENGAGEMENT THE MAIN ROTOR (1BLADE) STRUCK THE GROUND REBOUNDING THE HELICOPTER BACKWARD CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADE TO SEVER THE TAIL BOOM.

## 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 FTW98LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA342), Aug 4, 1998: Enstrom F-28F (N8619M), Bryce Canyon, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to an oil leak in the turbocharger system. Factors were high vegetation and high density altitude.

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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