# Accident 20030328003749A: Enstrm 280FX, San Carlos, CA, March 28, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 2003, 16:50 local time
- Place: San Carlos, CA
- Airport: San Carlos Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5119° N, 122.2494° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5119&lon=-122.2494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5698M (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ENSTRM 280FX
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 468 total, 468 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA119) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030328003749A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX03LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA119), Mar 29, 2003: Enstrom F280FX (N5698M), San Carlos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel 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.

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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