- Date
- March 4, 2010, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Goshen, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N327TBEnstrom 280FX
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100304029009A
- Case key
- 75445
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The inadequate preflight inspection by both pilots, resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the disconnected fuel tank sending unit.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter had undergone an annual inspection and was preflighted and flown by the pilot for a maintenance test flight. The pilot did not check the right fuel tank level during that preflight. On the following day, the pilot and another pilot seated in the right seat departed on another maintenance test flight without visually checking the fuel level in either fuel tank. They instead relied on fuel consumption calculations based upon previous flight time and fuel gauge indications. After about 42 minutes of flight time, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power while being piloted by the left-seat pilot. The right-seat pilot then took the controls and performed an autorotation but had to maneuver to change the touchdown point in order to avoid power lines. The helicopter then experienced a hard landing. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that there was about one cup of fuel in the left fuel tank and no fuel in the right fuel tank. Postaccident inspection revealed that an electrical connector from the right fuel tank sending unit was found disconnected, which would have given a false "full" indication of fuel quantity.
Factual narrative
The helicopter had undergone an annual inspection and was preflighted and flown by the pilot for a maintenance test flight. The pilot did not check the right fuel tank level during that preflight. On the following day, the pilot and another pilot seated in the right seat departed on another maintenance test flight without visually checking the fuel level in either fuel tank. They instead relied on fuel consumption calculations based upon previous flight time and fuel gauge indications. After about 42 minutes of flight time, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. The right seat pilot then performed an autorotation but had to maneuver to change the touchdown point in order to avoid power lines. The helicopter then experienced a hard landing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that a connector from the right fuel tank sending unit was disconnected. There was about one cup of fuel in the left fuel tank and no fuel in the right fuel tank. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, including damage to the tail boom. The left seat pilot received minor injuries and the right seat pilot received serious injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N327TB
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280FX
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2118
- Airframe hours
- 244
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-51A, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 4, 2010
- Departed
- GSH · Goshen, IN
- Destination
- GSH · Goshen, IN
- Airport
- GSH · Goshen Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 346 total · 4 in this make and model · 288 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- GSH, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.