History of Flight
On March 19, 2009, at about 1645 mountain daylight time, an Enstrom 280FX helicopter, registration N280AD, experienced a loss of engine power and made a hard landing near Wendover, Utah. The helicopter was operated by Whirlybird Helicopters under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country instructional flight. The certified flight instructor and the private pilot undergoing instruction were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage when the main rotor blade struck the tailboom.
The flight departed Ogden, Utah, around 1440, with a planned destination of Wendover. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Statements
During a follow-up interview with the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator, the flight instructor stated that before departure, the helicopter was serviced with 32 gallons (210 pounds) of fuel, of which 2 gallons were unusable. The instructor said that during the preflight they did not physically check the fuel level but relied on the fuel gauge. The helicopter reportedly consumed between 16.6 and 18.5 gallons per hour at an average ground speed of 100 knots.
About 2 hours into the flight and approximately 5 miles east of the destination, the fuel pressure light illuminated and the engine began to sputter and miss. The flight instructor took control and initiated an autorotation, during which the engine quit. The helicopter contacted the ground, and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom, shearing the tail rotor shaft.
Post-Accident Inspection
Recovery personnel observed that both fuel tanks appeared to be empty. An FAA inspector performed a post-accident inspection and found less than 1 gallon of fuel total in both tanks. When electrical power was applied, the low fuel pressure warning light illuminated. After adding 1 gallon of fuel to each tank, the low fuel pressure warning light extinguished, and the engine was started successfully.