# Accident 20011003032339A: Enstrm F28A, Arcadiatownship, MI, October 3, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 3, 2001, 15:30 local time - Place: Arcadiatownship, MI - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.6667° N, 82.6264° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6667&lon=-82.6264&mi=10 - Aircraft: N137E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N137E-2003-03-19) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Enstrom F-28A (registry code 3300406, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENSTRM F28A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Student - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA001) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011003032339A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) N137E WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM OMANS HELIPORT (PVT 6M18) TO DUPONT-LAPEER AIRPORT (D95), LAPEER MICHIGAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRACKING AND BALANCING ROTOR BLADES AFTER MAINTENANCE. THE HELICOPTER CRASHED ENROUTE TO LAPEER. WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT AND SAW THE HELICOPTER CRASH IN THE WOODS. PILOT WAS KILLED. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A PILOTS LICENSE OR CURRENT MEDICAL. ACCORDING TO RELATIVES HE FLEW HELICOPTERS IN THE KOREAN WAR. THE PILOT ALSO PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE HELICOPTER. HE DID NOT HAVE A MECHANICS CERTIFICATE. THE HELICOPTER OWNER DOES NOT HAVE A HELICOPTER RATING ON HIS PILOTS CERTIFICATE. NO LOGS BOOKS WERE AVAILABLE TO CONFIRM PILOT TIMES OR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON HELICOPTER. SUSPECT LACK OF FUEL BUT COULD NOT PROVE DUE TO LACK OF RECORDS. (.19) ON OCTOBER 3, 2001, ABOUT 1530 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ENSTROM F-28A, N137E, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR ATTICA, MICHIGAN. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM OMANS HELIPORT, NEAR ALMONT, MICHIGAN, ABOUT 1520, AND WAS ENROUTE TO DUPONT-LAPEER AIRPORT, NEAR LAPEER, MICHIGAN, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS, WHO WAS A PILOT, STATED, "LOW ROTOR - R.P.M. LOW - POWER[.] OBSERVED FLYING DUE NORTH FROM P.T. AUTO SALES." ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING NORTHWEST. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND NOSED DOWN. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED. THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND IN A WOODED AREA. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON THE NOSE OF ITS CABIN ASSEMBLY. THE FRONT OF THE CABIN ASSEMBLY WAS CRUSHED AFT. THE AIRCRAFT'S GPS WAS TURNED ON. THE GPS INDICATED LATITUDE 42 DEGREES 40.016 MINUTES N AND LATITUDE 82 DEGREES 37.635 MINUTES W. A SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD WAS FOUND SUSPENDED FROM A TREE BRANCH. THE THREE ROTOR BLADES WERE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE HUB. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND INTACT. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE PRODUCED A THUMB COMPRESSION AT ALL CYLINDERS. THE MAGNETOS PRODUCED SPARK WHEN THE ENGINE WAS ROTATED WITH THE MASTER SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION. THE FUEL SERVO SCREEN WAS FOUND CLEAN. A LIQUID WAS FOUND EXITING THE UNPLUGGED SERVO SCREEN WHEN THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP WAS TURNED ON. ABOUT AN OUNCE OF A BLUE COLORED FLUID WAS RECOVERED FROM THE FUEL STRAINER. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND COMPROMISED. A FUELING LOG, MARKED "100 LL", WAS FOUND AT THE DEPARTURE HELIPORT. A FUEL LOG ENTRY DATED OCTOBER 3, 2001, HAD A "BEFORE" ENTRY THAT STATED, "38.6" AND ITS "AFTER" ENTRY STATED, "69.7". AT 1553, THE PONTIAC-OAKLAND AIRPORT, NEAR PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, WEATHER WAS: WIND 230 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES; SKY CONDITION FEW 28,000 FEET; TEMPERATURE 25 DEGREES C, DEW POINT 8 DEGREES C, ALTIMETER 29.79 INCHES OF MERCURY. ## 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 CHI02FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02FA001), Oct 3, 2001: Enstrom F-28A (N137E), Attica, MI, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The reported loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during cruise flight, the pilot not performing an autorotation, the pilot not maintaining rotor RPM during his emergency descent, and the… 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.