Enstrom 280 N518EG

Summary

On 27 June 2016 at about 18:30 local time, a Enstrom 280 registered N518EG, operated by Blue Sun Air LLC, was involved in an incident near Zeeland, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 June 2016 at 18:30

Classification

Incident

Location

Zeeland, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Ottawa Executive (Z98)

Coordinates

42.8094, -85.9817

Aircraft

Enstrom 280

Registration

N518EG

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Blue Sun Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zeeland → Zeeland

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16IA238

Nobody was injured.

The exhaust band clamp failure, which resulted in an engine fire due to hot exhaust gases entering the engine compartment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student conducted a preflight inspection of the helicopter in preparation for the student's first flight. The flight instructor reported that, after engine start and before takeoff, he saw the lights on the panel flicker and smelled smoke. About the same time, he noticed ground personnel running toward the helicopter. He and the student exited the helicopter, and ground personnel extinguished an engine fire. Examination of the engine's exhaust band clamp assembly revealed that the clamp's two U-shaped retainer portions had fractured at spot weld locations. The incident is consistent with the failure of the exhaust band clamp, which allowed hot exhaust gases to enter the engine compartment and a fire to ensue.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.