Enstrom F-28C N574H
5 October 1996 · Spokane, Washington, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 5 October 1996 at about 22:00 local time, a Enstrom F-28C registered N574H was involved in an accident near Spokane, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Spokane, Washington, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C
- Registration
- N574H
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA97FA003
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot began the takeoff in the helicopter while giving a ride to a passenger at a local festival. About 100 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and quit. The helicopter, which was not insured, was damaged when the pilot initiated an emergency descent and impacted trees. The operator claimed that the fuel in the helicopter, his fuel truck, and his ground supply tank had been contaminated with jet fuel prior to the accident. Subsequent NTSB testing revealed that the fuel could not have been contaminated, and that jet fuel must have been added to the helicopter and the operator's self-tested fuel samples after the accident. The engine was examined in detail and tested by NTSB. No evidence of damage due to jet fuel contamination was found. The engine initially ran rough due to a restricted fuel nozzle, then ran within specifications (no turbocharger) after the nozzle was changed. The nozzle restriction was not found. Maintenance discrepancies such as a leaking turbocharger, improperly installed fuel nozzles, crimped fuel vent line, and a separated magneto cap were found, but no conclusive evidence associated with the accident power loss was found.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom F-28C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 1996 | Enstrom F-28C | Defuniak Spring, Florida, United States | Robert D. Duda | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1995 | Enstrom F-28C | Livermore, California, United States | Calaveras Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Mar 1997 | Enstrom F-28C | Sacaton, Arizona, United States | Steve Bates | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jan 1997 | Enstrom F-28C | Lake Jackson, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Oct 1997 | Enstrom F-28C | Fairview, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 1998 | Enstrom F-28C-2 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 1996 | Cessna U206F | Crane Island, Washington, United States | West Isle Air | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1996 | Beechcraft 35 | Spokane, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 1996 | Cessna 172N | Enumclaw, Washington, United States | Aeroflight | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-18 | Ephrata, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Aug 1996 | Westcott GLASAIR I-FT | Puyallup, Washington, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1996 | Grumman-Schweizer G-164B | Waitsburg, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |