Enstrom F280C N5695Y
7 June 1991 · Baggs, Wyoming, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 7 June 1991 at about 13:30 local time, a Enstrom F280C registered N5695Y, operated by John L. Irwin, was involved in an accident near Baggs, Wyoming, 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 13:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Baggs, Wyoming, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.0297, -107.6493
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F280C
- Registration
- N5695Y
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- John L. Irwin
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Baggs → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA91LA128
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LOW ALTITUDE AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT OF THE ENSTROM F280C STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHILE FLYING AT 50-100 FEET AGL. HE THEN DESCENDED TO A FORCED LANDING AS THE ENGINE RPM DECREASED. HE SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN HARD IN TALL SAGEBRUSH, CAUSING THE DOWNHILL SKID TO COLLAPSE. AS A RESULT OF THE HARD IMPACT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DROOPED AND SHEARED OFF THE TAIL BOOM. LATER INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE STEM HAD BROKEN AND THAT PARTS OF THIS VALVE HAD DESTROYED THE TURBOCHARGER AND BOTH SPARK PLUGS IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom F280C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 1983 | Enstrom F280C | Concord, California, United States | Air Executive | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1981 | Enstrom F280C | Aniak, Alaska, United States | Greatland Avia | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1991 | Grumman AA-1B | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | Paul E. Kacak | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 May 1991 | Beechcraft A36 | Rawlins, Wyoming, United States | John L. Ronacher | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-34 | Pinedale, Wyoming, United States | Department of Interior | No injuries | - |
| 22 May 1991 | Piper PA-22 | Laramie, Wyoming, United States | Donald L. Burrows | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 1991 | Maule M-5-235C | Moran, Wyoming, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 21 May 1991 | Cessna 172P | Alva, Wyoming, United States | Gillette Air Inc | No injuries | - |