Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baggs, Wyoming 82321
Friday, June 7, 1991 7:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LOW ALTITUDE AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BAGGS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82321
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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) 0
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) 1173
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44215
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5695Y
NTSB Number SEA91LA128
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 F280C
Aircraft Series Identifier F280C
Aircraft Serial Number 1205
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN L. IRWIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 2001
Aircraft Owner City CASPER
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82602
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN L. IRWIN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 2001
Operator City CASPER
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82602
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BAGGS
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --