# NTSB BFO94LA137: Enstrom F-28A, N13CM, Stewartsville, NJ, August 16, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 16, 1994, 18:28 local (22:28 UTC) - Place: Stewartsville, NJ - Location: 40.6889° N, 75.1022° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Stewartsville, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6889&lon=-75.1022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 8959 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO94LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8959/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO94LA137 ## Probable cause THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO UNEVEN TERRAIN, HE '...MADE [THE] DECISION TO ZERO OUT AIRSPEED DURING TOUCHDOWN.' THE PILOT STATED HE LEVELED THE HELICOPTER AND '...PULLED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION.' DURING THE LANDING A MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ## Factual narrative On August 16, 1994, at 1828 eastern daylight time, a Enstrom F- 28A, N13CM, lost partial engine power during cruise flight. The pilot executed a precautionary landing into a field in Stewartsville, New Jersey. During the landing the tailboom was severed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local sightseeing flight departed the Warren County Fairgrounds, Warren County, New Jersey, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported, "Aircraft was over Reservoir when engine began to loose power. Excessive yawing of A/C began." He said he flew the helicopter over a field and began a descent down into the field. The pilot reported, "In my low Recon of these fields I noticed the fields were unimproved and made decision to zero out airspeed prior to touchdown...with tail rotor upslope and near zero airspeed, I leveled A/C and pulled collective to cushion. A/C settled vertically, upon touchdown [main rotor] blade flexed down and cut tailboom off." Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies. The engine was started and ran with no anomalies noted. (See attached Inspector's Statement for details of examination). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13CM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N13CM), registered now, S/N 090, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENSTROM F-28A - Registry model: [Enstrom F-28A](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28a) (registry code 3300406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 090 - Airframe hours: 1464 - Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360-E1AD reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Innovative Air Helicopter Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport; Special, Experimental (Special); Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 15, 1994, 5 hours before - Departed: WARREN COUNTY, NJ - Destination: NJ ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; foreign, commercial, airline transport, student; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,400 total, 100 in this make and model, 2,200 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 5 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ABE ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940816021569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940816021569A), Aug 16, 1994: Enstrm F28A, Stewartsville, NJ, Substantial damage. Reported power loss. Autorotated to hard landing due low rotor RPM. Chopped tailboom. No engine anomalies found. ## Other investigations on N13CM (2) 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 MKC87LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC87LA102), May 7, 1987: Enstrom F-28A (N13CM), Fayetteville, AR, substantial damage - [NTSB CHI84IA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI84IA294), Jul 3, 1984: Enstrom F-28A (N13CM), Muncie, IN, incident, minor damage 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. --- 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.