On June 11, 2007, an Enstrom 280FX (registration N93GP) was involved in an aviation accident near Taylorsville, KY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper prefight inspection of the helicopter. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter experienced engine roughness at 150 feet AGL during climb after takeoff. An autorotation landing resulted in a hard landing, causing the main rotor blades to separate the tail boom. Postaccident examination found water and bio-organic contamination in the fuel system, with no mechanical failure.
Incident Overview
An airline transport pilot reported that during the climb after takeoff, at about 150 feet above ground level, the helicopter's engine began running very rough and was losing power. The pilot performed an autorotation landing. During the subsequent hard landing, the main rotor blades separated the tail boom.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination of the airframe fuel system revealed large amounts of water and bio-organic contamination present in the fuel system. Examination of the engine and its accessories showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Conclusion
The investigation determined that the engine roughness and power loss were associated with fuel contamination, though no probable cause was explicitly stated in the source.