- Date
- June 15, 1996, 16:28 local (21:28 UTC)
- Place
- Lambertville, MI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N557HEnstrom 280C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960615022739A
- Case key
- 10280
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
a total loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight, and the pilot's misjudged distance/altitude during the subsequent autorotation. A factor was inadequate maintenance and inspection.
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 that after setting cruise power a total loss of engine power occurred and an off-airport landing was made. During the landing the helicopter's main rotor blades impacted with the tail boom. Investigation revealed that the ground wire for the fuel gauge was loose. The helicopter's transmission had been removed from the helicopter less than ten hours before the accident, and the fuel gauge wires were disconnected during the transmission removal. The helicopter was equipped with a wooden dipstick which can be used to verify the amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
Factual narrative
On June 15, 1996 at 1628 eastern standard time (est), a Enstrom 280C, N557H, was substantially damaged, when the main rotors impacted with the tail boom, during an off airport landing. The pilot reported a total loss of engine power, shortly after setting cruise power. The commercial rated pilot and the two passengers were uninjured in the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 aerial observation flight was not operating on a flight plan, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
An investigation by a Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) revealed the following. The helicopter's fuel gauge was indicating that the fuel tank on the helicopter was between 1/4 and 3/8 full of fuel. The actual amount of fuel in the fuel tank was measured at approximately one gallon. The PMI said that the ground wire for the fuel gauge was loose, and when it was moved around following the accident, the fuel gauge indicator went to a zero fuel indication.
The helicopter's transmission had been removed from the helicopter less than ten hours before the accident, and the fuel gauge wires were disconnected during the transmission removal. After the accident the fiber lock nuts which secure the ground wire for the fuel gauge showed signs similar to lack of torque at installation.
The helicopter was equipped with a wooden dipstick, which can be used during preflight to verify the amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
The helicopter's main rotor blades were damaged. The tail rotor gear box and tail rotor had separated from the helicopter during the off airport landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N557H
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1043
- Airframe hours
- 1,152
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rotorwing Rental Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1996 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 5G9
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,520 total · 800 in this make and model · 1,460 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TOL, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.