Enstrom F-28C accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming, June 10, 2002
On June 10, 2002 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N5694Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the unsuitable terrain encountered during the emergency autorotation, following a partial loss of engine power. Factors contributing to this accident were fuel contamination (water), the low altitude, the high winds, and the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2002 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Medicine Bow, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5694Z · registry record · serial 497-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was conducting pipeline patrol and marking the positions of pipeline valves using a global positioning satellite receiver. The pilot said weather was clear but windy. Approximately 1 hour into the flight, the pilot made a turn to the west to come around over a location, and continued in the turn back to the east downwind. The pilot said he rolled out of the turn and started to pull some power for the turn back to the right to pick up the pipeline again when the helicopter yawed right and started losing power. The pilot said he immediately "lowered the collective, added throttle, and turned left to the north." The pilot said he was approximately 100 feet above the ground and had an airspeed of about 60 miles per hour. "With the bank and the autorotation I was able to stop forward motion and ground speed. I flared the helicopter, pulled pitch, and hit flat." The pilot said he shut down the engine after impact. "As far as I could tell the power never came back during the autorotation." An examination of the helicopter's fuel system showed water in the left and right fuel tanks. No other anomalies were found.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,418 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,999.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 10, 2002; 148 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Falcon Helicopter, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LAR Laramie WY at 2:30 pm
- Destination: RWL Rawlins WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from LAR, 36 miles away
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.