- Date
- April 14, 1992, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Iron Mountain, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N51782Enstrom 280C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920414010009A
- Case key
- 15426
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 presence of water in the air induction system.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported a partial power loss shortly after lift-off, followed by a complete loss of power. An autorotation to a field resulted in a hard landing. Inspection of the helicopter disclosed 22CC of water remaining in the air induction system close to the air filter. Once the water was removed, the engine started and ran normally. Fuel aboard the helicopter was the proper grade and free of contaminants. Four days prior to the accident flight, a heavy snow passed through the area where the helicopter was parked outside and uncovered. The accident flight was the first since the snow storm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51782
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1151
- Airframe hours
- 1,495
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Loewen, John L.
- Registered owner
- Loewen, John L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 1, 1992 · 25 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 710 total · 520 in this make and model · 559 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.