Crash Landing in Denver

[mountainchopper]

http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/N...mp;pageId=3.2.1

 

 

This looks like that same heli that had a stuck pedal last spring, talk about bad luck. I think Elite is the operator but don't quote me on that.

[brushfire21]

When getting the prelim data for the Carson A/C I came across this. I believe its the same aircraft and location as reported above.

 

====================

 

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** Report created 8/7/2008 Record 2 **

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IDENTIFICATION

Regis#: 285SH Make/Model: EN28 Description: F-28, 280, SHARK, FALCON, SENTINEL

Date: 08/06/2008 Time: 1325

 

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N

Damage: Unknown

 

LOCATION

City: DENVER State: CO Country: US

 

DESCRIPTION

N285SH, AN ENSTROM 280FX ROTORCRAFT, FORCE LANDED DUE TO A FUEL PROBLEM, 2

MILES FROM BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, CO

 

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0

# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

 

WEATHER: METAR KDEN 061253Z 25004KT 10SM SCT140 BKN200 18/13 A3021

 

OTHER DATA

Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER

 

 

FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO (NM03) Entry date: 08/07/2008

[arotrhd]

I just caught this too...

 

Copter crash-lands after turned away from AF base

Posted on Wed, Aug. 06, 2008print email

 

The Associated Press

 

DENVER -- A small civilian helicopter crash-landed Wednesday after the pilot was denied permission to refuel at an Air Force base. No one was injured.

 

The pilot asked to land at Buckley Air Force Base in suburban Aurora but was turned away because he did not declare an emergency, Buckley spokesman John Spann said.

 

"If he declared an in-flight emergency, then yes, he could come to Buckley and we could have gotten him gas," Spann said.

 

Freelance photographer Bill Ross said he and the pilot of the two-seat Engstrom 280FX aircraft had finished a commercial photo shoot near Denver International Airport and were returning to Centennial Airport when the engine sputtered and stopped.

 

"I'm surprised we're still alive," he said. "Alarms start going off and red lights start flashing, and I said 'What does that mean?'"

 

He said the pilot replied "'We're going to crash,' and I said 'Well, crash this thing right.'"

 

The helicopter dropped about 400 feet but landed upright, with heavy damage, in a field a few miles from Buckley, Ross said.

 

Allen Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

 

Kenitzer said the helicopter is registered to Beacon Aviation in suburban Lakewood. No phone listing could be located for Beacon.

 

 

DAMN STRAIGHT Mr. Ross! That's the attitude and action everyone should have when the bacon is getting close to the frying pan. A nice quote to use for the next safety presentations. Good outcome, but sad if it is determined to be fuel exhaustion - if the reported story is correct. I'm curious how many of us would have declared an emergency. If I'm seeing the fuel warning light come on, I'm landing NOW and getting preped for an auto and emergency callout. Any Enstrom people have further insights? I haven't flown the type and am not intimately familar.

 

-WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[Sparker]

Engstrom?

[klmmarine]

http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/N...mp;pageId=3.2.1

 

 

This looks like that same heli that had a stuck pedal last spring, talk about bad luck. I think Elite is the operator but don't quote me on that.

 

Bad luck? There isn't any bad luck involved here, just bad planning.

[Darren Hughes]

Bad luck? There isn't any bad luck involved here, just bad planning.

 

Indeed!

[airdoggy]

His "risk vs gain" decision didn't quite work out! I'm glad they are OK.

[Goldy]

Heavy damage in an Enstrom from 400 AGL ???

 

Hmmmm.....me wonders

 

Any Enstrom pilots want to comment ?

[mountainchopper]

the pictures in the news link didn't look like all that much happened to the helicopter if anything.

 

Personally i'd much rather explain to denver's finest why i landed in a random field as opposed to face the embarrassment this is sure to bring.

 

I have some time in an enstrom and don't recall it having a low fuel warning light, just another good reminder not to get complacent in our daily routines.

[beckwith]

http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/N...mp;pageId=3.2.1

 

 

This looks like that same heli that had a stuck pedal last spring, talk about bad luck. I think Elite is the operator but don't quote me on that.

 

looks like you where right

http://www.elitehelicopterservices.com/HEL...57/Default.aspx

[clay]

If you would like to discuss the incident WITHOUT casting stones, so be it, my email is clay@elitehelicopter.com, I was not the pilot but work at Elite Helicopter

Edited August 8, 2008 by clay

[Parafiddle]

Glad to hear nobody was hurt. Unfortunately, too often accidents are the result of human error. I am not speaking specifically about this accident (as I have no information as to what actually happened), but in general terms. When people present briefing on aviation safety and have looked at numerous NTSB accident reports, frequently the cause of the accident is human error, not mechanical failure. Fuel starvation at first glance seems like human error (poor flight planning/fuel management). However, fuel systems can also become clogged, fuel lines can break, etc.

 

Clay, if you (or anyone else for that matter) have any insight into the cause of the accidentm (based on fact and not speculation), please comment in order to educate everyone on this website as a learning experience/reminder of what to do or not do. I understand if you are not comfortable commenting since you work for Elite Helicopters. I don't want you to be placed in an awkward position with your employer.

 

Finally, NTSB final reports usually take a long time to come out. Even then, the NTSB will sometimes attribute the cause of an accident to "pilot error", when in fact, there was nothing the pilot could have done (example - massive hydraulic failure causes failure of flight controls; NTSB response - pilot failed to maintain proper flight attitude resulting in flight into terrain). Realize this doesn't happen frequently, but I have seem some reports that were along those lines. Bottom line is smart pilots try to learn from the mistakes and experiences (both good and bad) of others so they don't repeat the mistakes and if they find themselves in that situation, hopefully they have some idea of what worked or didn't work for others and can safely recover.

[Goldy]

Clay- email sent. Goldy