- Date
- August 12, 1998, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Marco Island, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N19BZEnstrom F-28F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980812020619A
- Case key
- 43693
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadequate fuel management which led to fuel exhaustion. A related factor was the pilot's improper use of the flight controls during autorotation.
Analysis
The pilot was in cruise flight when the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot entered autorotation and selected a forced landing area. The pilot initiated a flare and applied collective pitch late. The helicopter collided with the terrain hard, right skid first, and the main rotor blades collided with the tailboom assembly. Examination of the left and right fuel tanks revealed little or no fuel.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1998, at about 1145 eastern daylight time, a Enstrom F-28F, N19BZ, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 sightseeing flight, crashed in the vicinity of Marco Island, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from Marco Island, Florida, about 30 minutes before the accident.
The pilot stated he was in cruise flight when he experienced a total loss of engine power. He lowered the collective pitch, entered autorotation, and made a right, 100 degree turn towards a dirt road. At 100 feet he started a flare and applied collective cushioning pitch late. The helicopter touched down right skid low. The main rotor blade flexed down, and collided with the tailboom assembly.
Examination of the crash site revealed the helicopter was partially resting on its belly due to the collapse of the right hand skid cross tube, and the tailboom had been severed. Visual examination of the fuel tanks revealed little or no fuel. Fuel was added to both fuel tanks after the helicopter was transported to an authorized repair facility. The engine was started and was run for about 5 minutes. The pilot informed the FAA that he made a hard landing during the autorotation resulting in damage to the helicopter.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N19BZ
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 727
- Airframe hours
- 780
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Christian G. Boddi
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 1998 · 66 hours before
- Departed
- MKY
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 302 total · 280 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.