Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Iron Mountain, Michigan 49801
Tuesady, April 14, 1992 11:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. AN AUTOROTATION TO A FIELD RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED 22CC OF WATER REMAINING IN THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM CLOSE TO THE AIR FILTER. ONCE THE WATER WAS REMOVED, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY. FUEL ABOARD THE HELICOPTER WAS THE PROPER GRADE AND FREE OF CONTAMINANTS. FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, A HEAVY SNOW PASSED THROUGH THE AREA WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND UNCOVERED. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST SINCE THE SNOW STORM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PRESENCE OF WATER IN THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City IRON MOUNTAIN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49801
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2352
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47064
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51782
NTSB Number CHI92LA129
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model 280C
Aircraft Series Identifier 280C
Aircraft Serial Number 1151
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1495
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOEWEN, JOHN L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 615 WASHINGTON ST
Aircraft Owner City NIAGARA
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54151
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LOEWEN, JOHN L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 615 WASHINGTON ST
Operator City NIAGARA
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 54151
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --