Enstrom 280C accident near Iron Mountain, Michigan, April 14, 1992
On April 14, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N51782, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iron Mountain, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PRESENCE OF WATER IN THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Iron Mountain, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51782 · registry record · serial 1151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 710 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 559 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,495 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 1992; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.