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20030328003749A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Enstrm 280FX · San Carlos, CA · March 28, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 28, 2003 · 16:50 local
Place
San Carlos, CA
Airport
San Carlos Airport
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5698M
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03LA119
Reported as
Enstrm 280FX
Reported engine
Lycoming HIO360*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
468 total468 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) N5698M, an Enstrom helicopter model 280FX, serial number 2073, crashed and sustained substantial damage while landing at San Carlos (sql) airport, San Carlos CA on Friday March 28, 2003 at approximately 16:50 PST local time the two occupants were not injured. The pilot, jonathan kaplan, certificate number 2546485, stated the engine failed while in the final stages of landing and fell to the landing pad from about 20 feet of altitude. N5698M received fuel twice the day of the accident from the fuel facility located at sql airport. According to sql chevron fuel center N5698M received 32.9 gallons of fuel just prior to the first flight of the day at 11:21, and returned the same day at 14:03, received 39.4 gallons and resumed flight operations. According to the type certificate data sheet, H1CE, this model holds 42 gallons, 40 gallons usable. The fuel tanks (2) had approximately 1/2 inch of fuel in the bottom of each. The aircraft showed no sign of fuel leakage. A copy of the report has been forwarded to the san jose flight standards operation unit for review.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N5698M, AN ENSTROM HELICOPTER MODEL 280FX, SERIAL NUMBER 2073, CRASHED AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT SAN CARLOS (SQL) AIRPORT, SAN CARLOS CA ON FRIDAY MARCH 28, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:50 PST LOCAL TIME THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE PILOT, JONATHAN KAPLAN, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 2546485, STATED THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF LANDING AND FELL TO THE LANDING PAD FROM ABOUT 20 FEET OF ALTITUDE. N5698M RECEIVED FUEL TWICE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT FROM THE FUEL FACILITY LOCATED AT SQL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO SQL CHEVRON FUEL CENTER N5698M RECEIVED 32.9 GALLONS OF FUEL JUST PRIOR TO THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY AT 11:21, AND RETURNED THE SAME DAY AT 14:03, RECEIVED 39.4 GALLONS AND RESUMED FLIGHT OPERATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET, H1CE, THIS MODEL HOLDS 42 GALLONS, 40 GALLONS USABLE. THE FUEL TANKS (2) HAD APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH OF FUEL IN THE BOTTOM OF EACH. THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED NO SIGN OF FUEL LEAKAGE. A COPY OF THE REPORT HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE SAN JOSE FLIGHT STANDARDS OPERATION UNIT FOR REVIEW.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX03LA119Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Carlos, CAFuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations and his inadequate in-flight planning decision. A factor was the low altitude from which the autorotation was attempted.Mar 29, 2003 · Substantial damage