Enstrom 280FX N327TB

Summary

On 4 March 2010 at about 15:30 local time, a Enstrom 280FX registered N327TB was involved in an accident near Goshen, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 March 2010 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Goshen, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Goshen Municipal Airport (GSH)

Coordinates

41.5264, -85.7942

Aircraft

Enstrom 280FX

Registration

N327TB

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Goshen → Goshen

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10CA138

1 person was seriously injured.

The inadequate preflight inspection by both pilots, resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the disconnected fuel tank sending unit.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter had undergone an annual inspection and was preflighted and flown by the pilot for a maintenance test flight. The pilot did not check the right fuel tank level during that preflight. On the following day, the pilot and another pilot seated in the right seat departed on another maintenance test flight without visually checking the fuel level in either fuel tank. They instead relied on fuel consumption calculations based upon previous flight time and fuel gauge indications. After about 42 minutes of flight time, the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power while being piloted by the left-seat pilot. The right-seat pilot then took the controls and performed an autorotation but had to maneuver to change the touchdown point in order to avoid power lines. The helicopter then experienced a hard landing. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that there was about one cup of fuel in the left fuel tank and no fuel in the right fuel tank. Postaccident inspection revealed that an electrical connector from the right fuel tank sending unit was found disconnected, which would have given a false "full" indication of fuel quantity.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.