# NTSB GAA16LA100: Enstrom F-28, N756H, Ritter Butte, OR, January 13, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 13, 2016, 09:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place: Ritter Butte, OR
- Coordinates: 44.833889, -119.073059 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8339&lon=-119.0731&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 16, 2016
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: Federal Aviation Admnistration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 92592
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16LA100
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92592/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92592
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA100

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and subsequent impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Autorotation: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Enstrom F-28F, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3300412), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the commercial pilot, the purpose of the flight was predator animal control in an area of adjoining ranches. The pilot stated that, during the flight, the fuel indicator began bouncing back and forth and reading erratically. Subsequently, the pilot used his watch to time the fuel burn to determine when he had to return to the fuel point. As the pilot was about to return to the fuel point, the fuel indicator stabilized, indicating that the fuel tank was about one-quarter full, and the pilot then flew toward the fuel truck. When the helicopter was about 100 ft above the terrain, the low fuel indicator illuminated, followed by the loss of engine power. The pilot estimated that about a 20-mph tailwind existed, so he performed a 180-degree turn to point the helicopter's nose into the wind while entering an autorotation. After completing the 180-degree turn, the pilot did not see any flat or open terrain and chose to land on a rocky outcropping. While the pilot was trying to avoid landing in trees, the helicopter impacted terrain, which resulted in the helicopter sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor gear box.

## Factual narrative

On January 13, 2016, about 1000 Pacific standard time, an Enstrom F-28F helicopter, N756H, impacted terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude, about 5 miles southeast of Ritter, Oregon. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger had no injuries. The helicopter was registered to BRD Equipment LLC of Adams, Oregon, and operated by Southern Helicopter Company of Pendleton, Oregon, as a personal local flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site about the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from and was destined to returned to a private residence near Ritter, OR. According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was for predator animal control in an area of adjoining ranches. The pilot stated that, during the flight, the fuel indicator began "bouncing back and forth and read erratically". The pilot reported that consequently, he used his watch to time his fuel burn to know when he had to return to the fuel point. As the pilot was about to return to the fuel point, the fuel indicator stabilized with about one quarter of a tank of fuel and the pilot flew in the direction of the fuel truck. The pilot stated he was about 100 feet above the terrain when the low fuel indicator illuminated and subsequently the engine lost power. The pilot estimated he had a 20 mile per hour tailwind and performed a 180 turn to point the nose of the helicopter into the wind while auto rotating. After completing the 180 turn, the pilot did not see any flat or open terrain and chose to land on a rocky outcropping trying to avoid landing in trees and impacted terrain. During impact the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor gear box.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N756H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N756H), registered now, S/N 756 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM F-28 (F)
- Registry model: [Enstrom F-28F](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28f) (registry code 3300412) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 756
- Year built: 1988
- Airframe hours: 5799.3
- Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD 225 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Other work use, Part 91
- Operator: Cliff Hoeft, doing business as South County Helicopter LLC
- Registered owner: Brd Equipment LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 29, 2015
- Departed: Long Creek, OR
- Destination: Long Creek, OR
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: serious; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 22, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 14,385 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 14,283 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 14 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observed at: KGCD, 26 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 20160113000809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160113000809A), Jan 13, 2016: Enstrom F-28F, Long Creek, OR, Substantial damage. On 1/14/2016 this office was notified of the accident involving acft N756H that had occurred on 1/13/2016 at approx 10:00 am. I contacted grant county sheriff…

## Other investigations on N756H (1)

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 LAX90LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA155), Apr 27, 1990: Enstrom F28F (N756H), Corona, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S RIGHT MAGNETO, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92592. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 376 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437490&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437493&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Drained Fuel (item 3, .PDF, 221 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437495&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Drained%20Fuel-Master.PDF
- Photos (item 4, .PDF, 465 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437496&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF

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.

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