- Date
- April 29, 1991, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Palm Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N214MMEnstrom F28C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910429013139A
- Case key
- 27185
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
Inadequate inspection of the fuel system resulting in an engine power loss and inflight fire due to a loose fuel connection.
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
During climb the pilot noticed that the eng was not developing full power. He also smelled fuel when the heater valve was opened. The eng began to run rough, and smoke came out of the bottom of the helicopter. A forced landing was made in a canyon bottom colliding with small trees. After landing the pilot extinguished a fire in the engine compartment. The fuel inlet line connector to the electric fuel boost pump was found loose. In addition, a connector on the upper deck manifold pressure line attached to the turbocharger induction tube was found loose. The pilot reported that he smelled fuel on 3/30, 4/12, and 4/28, and reported this to the maintenance facility for correction. A 100-HR inspection was completed on 4/11, 20.8 hours before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N214MM
- Reported as
- Enstrom F28C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 355
- Airframe hours
- 1,113
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-EIAD, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Randy Testman
- Registered owner
- Randy Testman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 11, 1991 · 20 hours before
- Destination
- L12 · Redlands, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 585 total · 400 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.