# NTSB DEN08CA134: Enstrom 280FX, N285SH, Aurora, CO, August 6, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 6, 2008, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Aurora, CO - Coordinates: 39.702777, -104.752777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7028&lon=-104.7528&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 68620 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08CA134 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68620/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08CA134 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper planning and decision making resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's premature application of collective resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was returning to land when he noted that the fuel level was low. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted an autorotation to an open field, resulting in a hard landing, and substantial damage to the helicopter. The loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies. According to the pilot, he departed with 19 gallons of fuel, and had calculated this represented 1 hour and 20 minutes of fuel. ## Factual narrative According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, he had just finished a photo documentation flight in the Denver International Airport area. He was returning to Centennial Airport when he noted that the fuel level was low. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted an autorotation to an open field, resulting in a hard landing. During the landing, the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom, severing the tail rotor, and bending all three rotor blades. Following the accident, less than a quarter of a gallon of fuel was recovered from the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel was added and the engine ran without hesitation or issues for five minutes. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies. According to the pilot, he departed with 19 gallons of fuel, and had calculated this represented 1 hour and 20 minutes of fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: N285SH (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Enstrom 280FX - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2120 - Airframe hours: 128.4 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: Elite Helicopter Services Inc - Registered owner: Beacon Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 1, 2008, 7.4 hours before - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Destination: APA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 471 total, 21 in this make and model, 353 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 4 knots - Visibility: 70 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: BKF, 360 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080806845039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080806845039A), Aug 6, 2008: Enstrm 280FX, Aurora, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was flying back from kden to kapa (centennial) over buckley air national guard base VFR. The engine quit approx 2MI se from the base. The pilot did… 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.