Enstrom 280C N5695D
15 June 2003 · West Branch, Michigan, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 15 June 2003 at about 17:38 local time, a Enstrom 280C registered N5695D was involved in an accident near West Branch, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously 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 17:38
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- West Branch, Michigan, United States
- Coordinates
- 44.2947, -84.1703
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C
- Registration
- N5695D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- West Branch → Selkirk
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI03LA183
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the connecting rod cap. A related factor was the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter impacted water during an autorotation following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he lost engine power during initial climb and the helicopter landed upright about 75 feet off the shore in about 2-1/2 feet of water. An inspection of the helicopter confirmed flight control continuity. Both fuel tanks contained 25 gallons of fuel and the engine contained 8 quarts of oil. The main and tail rotors showed drivetrain continuity. A large hole was found in the crankcase, near the number one engine cylinder, and the number one connecting rod was protruding from the hole. Examination of the broken connecting rod cap revealed fracture features that were consistent with a fatigue-type failure. Additionally, the material encompassing the fatigue initiation point was galled along with several other areas of the bearing interface.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom 280 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2003 | Enstrom 280C | Panama City Bch, Florida, United States | Aeroquest Inc., | No injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 2003 | Enstrom 280FX | Ruston, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 2004 | Enstrom 280C | Pedricktown, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 2002 | Enstrom 280C | Coopersville, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Nov 2004 | Enstrom 280C | Galloo Island, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 2002 | Enstrom 280FX | Alsatia, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov 2003 | Cessna 175 | Mears, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2003 | Beechcraft 1900D | Muskegon, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 2003 | Cessna 140 | Edwardsburg, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Jul 2003 | Piper PA-34-220T | Port Huron, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Cessna 172N | Romeo, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 2003 | Piper PA-28-151 | South Haven, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |