Enstrom F-28C accident near Orlando, Florida, March 11, 2001
On March 11, 2001 at about 1:15 am local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N5687H, was destroyed in an accident near Orlando, Florida (None airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a fire due to a broken and separated turbocharger exhaust which allowed hot exhaust to ignite the engine shroud.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2001 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5687H · no longer on the register · serial 460-2
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight had climbed to about 250 to 300 feet, when the engine began to run rough and the pilot noticed smoke coming from the engine. A forced landing was made, with power, in a fairgrounds, and upon landing the passengers and pilot evacuated the helicopter. A fire started from the turbocharger exhaust, causing the aluminum shroud to burn. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire, but ran out of fire fighting agent. The fire began again, and destroyed the helicopter before the fire department arrived. Examination of the turbocharger exhaust revealed that the exhaust stack had broken, allowing the hot exhaust (1,500 degrees C) to ignite the aluminum engine shroud.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,387 hours in all; 1,540 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 7,274 as pilot in command; 1,212 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,217.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 2001; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1A0 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 0Rlando FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 030° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from ORL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.