ATL07LA088

The airline transport pilot reported that about 150 feet agl, during climb after takeoff, the helicopter's engine began running very rough and was losing power. An autorotation landing was made, and during the ensuing hard landing, the main rotor blades separated the tail boom. Postaccident examination of the airframe fuel system showed large amounts of water and bio-organic contamination in the fuel system. Examination of the engine and accessories showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.

On June 11, 2007, about 1030 central daylight time, a Enstrom 280FX helicopter, N93GP, registered to and operated by the pilot, collided with the ground following loss of engine power, shortly after takeoff from a private residence in Taylorsville, Kentucky. The pilot was not injured and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

According to the pilot, he was departing his residence destined for Samuels Field (BRY), Bardstown, Kentucky. At about 150 feet above ground level the engine began running very rough and was losing power. He lowered the collective and entered an autorotation. While steering straight ahead toward a clearing he began increasing collective. After contacting the ground the helicopter turned clockwise about 150 degrees. The main rotor blades contacted and separated the tail boom. The pilot shut down the helicopter systems and exited.

Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, and a representative from Enstrom Helicopter Corporation revealed that the airframe damage was consistent with a hard landing. The main rotor separated the tailcone aft of the horizontal stabilizers and the left side landing gear was collapsed. One main rotor blade was bent horizontally along the length of the blade and the skins were buckled the entire length of the blade. One main rotor blade was bent down vertically approximately two feet from the root end. The third main rotor blade showed little or no evidence of strike damage.

After recovery from the accident site, while the helicopter sat on a trailer, the engine was examined. Continuity of the engine assembly was confirmed and each cylinder produced compression when the engine was rotated. Each magneto fired normally when rotated by hand and a check of the fuel nozzles and the turbocharger found no anomalies.

Following the above examination the helicopter was shipped to Enstrom for repair. The landing gear assembly was removed from the helicopter and the fuselage was mounted on a manufacturing dolly that positions the fuselage in a level attitude. On July 12, 2007, the engine induction and turbocharger systems were reassembled to test run the engine. During the draining of the fuel strainer and tank sumps prior to the engine run, large amounts of what appeared to be water and bio-organic contamination was found in the fuel samples. Subsequent samples drained from the fuel strainer and tank sumps totaling 2.54 liters showed that approximately 0.53 liters were of the water/scum contamination. Due to the position of the helicopter on the trailer during the initial investigation, the contamination found would not have been evident.