Enstrom 280 FX N383MA

Summary

On 23 June 2000 at about 11:30 local time, a Enstrom 280 FX registered N383MA was involved in an accident near Springdale, Ohio, 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.

Date

23 June 2000 at 11:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Springdale, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

39.2898, -84.4693

Aircraft

Enstrom 280 FX

Registration

N383MA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Blue Ash → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA174

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight of the helicopter, and his subsequent failure to monitor his fuel supply, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, over unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was performing an aerial observation flight of vehicle traffic, operating about 500 feet AGL, when the engine missed and lost power. The pilot performed a run-on landing on the edge of the road, next to a median. One skid was on asphalt and the other skin was in the grass/dirt. The skid in grass/dirt dug in and the helicopter rotated 90 degrees and rolled over. Examination of the helicopter revealed no fuel in the tank, the fuel cap in place, and no evidence of leakage. When fuel was added, the fuel gauge consistently read less than the actual amount of fuel onboard. The pilot told the Safety Board he had checked the fuel prior to departure; however, in follow-up interviews with the FAA, the pilot reported he had not checked the fuel tanks prior to departure and had not paid attention to the fuel gauge while flying.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.