Enstrom F-28A accident near Attica, MI
On October 3, 2001, an Enstrom F-28A (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Attica, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 3, 2001
- Place
- Attica, MI
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28A · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.667°N, 82.626°W
- NTSB ID
- 20011009X02053
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 3, 2001, about 1530 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F-28A helicopter, N137E, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees and terrain following an in-flight loss of engine power near Attica, Michigan. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Omans Heliport, near Almont, Michigan, about 1520, and was enroute to Dupont-Lapeer Airport, near Lapeer, Michigan, at the time of the accident. The accident airplane's owner stated: Prior to [the accident pilot's] departure in the aircraft, he and I hovered it for about 5 minutes.. Aircraft performed fine. I did not see [the accident pilot] put fuel in tanks but he said that he filled the tanks. I did observe that the fuel computer was reset to reflect full tanks. When I pulled collective to put the helicopter in a hover it seemed heavy, as it would with 2 people and full tanks. After hovering for about 5 minutes, I set it down and shut it off. [The accident pilot] said he wanted to fly it to Lapeer Airport and that I should meet him there. He started the aircraft, pulled it into a hover, rolled the nose into a standard climbout. I didn't observe anything unusual. The last time I saw the aircraft flying it was headed in the direction of Lapeer Airport at about 300/400 [feet above ground level] AGL. A witness, who was a pilot, stated, "Low rotor - R.P.M. Low - Power[.] Observed flying due North from P.T. Auto Sales." The Lap
Probable cause
The reported loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during cruise flight, the pilot not performing an autorotation, the pilot not maintaining rotor RPM during his emergency descent, and the pilot not maintaining control of the helicopter. A factor was the trees.
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Browse: Michigan · Enstrom aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
