Enstrom F-28C N51774

Summary

On 30 January 1997 at about 02:45 local time, a Enstrom F-28C registered N51774 was involved in an accident near Lake Jackson, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 January 1997 at 02:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Jackson, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Brazoria County (LBX)

Coordinates

29.0409, -95.4409

Aircraft

Enstrom F-28C

Registration

N51774

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

FTW97LA094

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the #2 cylinder for an undetermined reason which resulted in an exhaust leak that melted an oil line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and his student were practicing takeoffs and landings and were 'on the second or third takeoff,' approximately 400 feet agl, when the helicopter 'began to lose power.' The instructor turned the helicopter back towards the airport and 'proceeded to descend while losing engine power.' Before the helicopter 'reached the ground, the engine lost all power.' After the touchdown on a taxiway, the instructor 'noticed flames from the engine compartment' and, after shutting down the engine, attempted unsuccessfully to put out the fire with a hand held fire extinguisher. The helicopter was destroyed by the fire. Examination of the engine by the operator revealed a 'hole melted out above [the] exhaust port' of the number 2 cylinder. According to the operator, the resulting exhaust gas leak 'severed the number 4 cylinder oil line and started a fire.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.