# Accident 20010310004519A: Enstrm F28C, Orlando, FL, March 10, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 10, 2001, 20:15 local time - Place: Orlando, FL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Climb - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.7667° N, 81.2333° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7667&lon=-81.2333&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5687H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5687H-2018-01-25) (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 HIO360F1AD - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 8,387 total, 1,540 in this make and model, 220 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA097) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010310004519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 2001, AT APPROX. 20:15 EST, PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^PILOTED HIS ENSTROM F28C-2 HELICOPTER ON A SIGHT-SEEING TOUR WITH TWO PASSENGERS. AT 250-300 FEET ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE'S TURBO-CHARGER EXHAUST STACK. PILOT ^PRIVAC^IMMEDIATELY FORCE-LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FAIRGROUNDS PARKING LOT. HE ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE BUT RAN OUT OF FIRE FIGHTING AGENT. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE TRUCKS ARRIVED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE HELICOPTER. THE FIRE BEGAN WHEN THE TURBO-CHARGER EXHAUST STACK EITHER BROKE OR SEPARATED, CAUSING 1500 DEGREE EXHAUST TO IGNITE THE ALLUMINUM ENGINE COWLING, WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF HELICOPTER. (-19) ON MARCH 10, 2001, ABOUT 2115 EST, AN ENSTROM F-28C HELICOPTER, N5687H, REGISTERED TO HELICOPTER RESOURCES, INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, LOST POWER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FAIRGROUND'S PARKING LOT, NEAR ORLANDO, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED-PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS, REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 250 TO 300 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE IMMEDIATELY LANDED THE HELICOPTERWITH POWER, AND UPON LANDING THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT EVACUATED THE HELICOPTER. A FIRE STARTED FROM THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST, CAUSING THE ALUMINUM SHROUD TO BURN. THE PILOT USED A HAND HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO FIGHT THE FIRE AND ALMOST HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED, BUT RAN OUT OF FIRE FIGHTING AGENT. THE FIRE BEGAN AGAIN, AND DESTROYED THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED. EXAMINATION FO THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST STACK HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE HOT EXHAUST (1,500 DEGREES C) TO IGNITE THE ALUMINUM ENGINE SHROUD. (.4) ON MARCH 10, 2001, ABOUT 2015 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN ENSTROM F-28C HELICOPTER, N5687H, REGISTERED TO HELICOPTER RESOURCES INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, LOST POWER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FAIRGROUND'S PARKING LOT, NEAR ORLANDO, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED-PILOT, AND TWO PASSENGERS, REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE FLIGHT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 250 TO 300 FEET, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE IMMEDIATELY LANDED THE HELICOPTER, WITH POWER, AND UPON LANDING THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT EVACUATED THE HELICOPTER. A FIRE STARTED FROM THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST, CAUSING THE ALUMINUM SHROUD TO BURN. THE PILOT USED A HAND HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO FIGHT THE FIRE AND ALMOST HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED, BUT RAN OUT OF FIRE FIGHTING AGENT. THE FIRE BEGAN AGAIN, AND DESTROYED THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. EXAMINATION OF THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST REVE ALED THAT THE EXHAUST STACK HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE HOT EXHAUST (1,500 DEGREES C) TO IGNITE THE ALUMINUM ENGINE SHROUD. ## 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 MIA01LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA097), Mar 11, 2001: Enstrom F-28C (N5687H), Orlando, FL, destroyed. Probable cause: a fire due to a broken and separated turbocharger exhaust which allowed hot exhaust to ignite the engine shroud. ## Other reports on N5687H (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19840613031779I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840613031779I), Jun 13, 1984: Enstrm F28C (N5687H), Long Island Cit, NY. Heard a large bang. Partial power on landing. Found upper jack strut bearing had failed. 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.