# Accident 19990406003309A: Enstrm F28C, Pendleton, OR, April 6, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 6, 1999, 17:30 local time
- Place: Pendleton, OR
- Airport: Pendleton Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 45.7305° N, 118.7902° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7305&lon=-118.7902&mi=10
- Aircraft: N51770, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N51770) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA048) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990406003309A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON APRIL 6, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1730 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MAIN ROTOR BLADE OF AN ENSTROM F-28-C HELICOPTER, N51770, IMPACTED THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL BOOM DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR PENDLETON, OREGON. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY GENERAL AIRCRAFT SERVICES, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAFE BUT HE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE VFR 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, AND THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTIVATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS CLIMBING OUT FROM THE LANDING SITE AFTER REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT, WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. HE ATTMEPTED TO AUTOROTATE TO A LANDING, BUT HIT HARD ENOUGH THAT A MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD AND IMPACTED THE TAIL BOOM. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS WATER IN BOTH THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANK AND IN THE BARREL FROM WHICH THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED . (-23) SEE ATTACHED NARRATIVE SHEET.

## 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 SEA99LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA048), Apr 7, 1999: Enstrom F-28C (N51770), Pendleton, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of power due to water contamination of the fuel. Factors include the inability of the helicopter to perform a successful autorotation immediately after takeoff.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.