Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Comstock, MI
On May 16, 2008, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Comstock, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 16, 2008
- Place
- Comstock, MI
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.313°N, 85.464°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080527X00729
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 16, 2008, at 1153 eastern daylight time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100, N5049F, collided with a tree and the terrain in the Chipman Preserve, Comstock, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was destroyed. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated around 1100 from the Almena Airport (2C5), Paw Paw, Michigan. The pilot purchased the helicopter the day prior to the accident. He and another pilot who was a certificated flight instructor (CFI) flew the helicopter from Wisconsin to the pilot's private airstrip, the Larry D. Boven Airstrip (2MI3), Kalamazoo, Michigan. On the day of the accident, the accident pilot flew the helicopter from 2MI3 to 2C5, where he picked up the CFI at 0900. The CFI stated they flew approximately one hour during which time they practiced maneuvers and autorotations. He stated the helicopter was operating normally and the pilot was not having any problems flying the helicopter. The CFI stated the pilot dropped him off at 2C5 and departed for 2MI3 around 1100. One witness reported seeing the helicopter flying in a northbound direction, approximately 100 feet above the trees. This witness reported hearing a loss of engine noise and the impact. The pilot's wife stated he was returning home from flying with his flight instructor when the accident occurred. She stated he flew over their property and was returning to land when she heard the impact. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot-in-c
Probable cause
A loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inadequate fuel management. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
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Browse: Michigan
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
