Enstrom F-28C accident near Panama City Bch, Florida, November 17, 2004
On November 17, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N595H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City Bch, Florida. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper refueling of the helicopter resulting in loss of engine power do to fuel exhaustion and damage to the helicopter during the subsequent hard forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City Bch, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N595H · no longer on the register · serial 372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he planned for a 45-minute sightseeing flight. He refueled the helicopter and brought the fuel level to 17 gallons. He and two passengers departed the helipad at 1422. About 38 minutes into the flight, when about 1 mile from the departure helipad, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. He entered autorotation and when about 5 feet above the beach he applied collective control to cushion the touchdown. The helicopter touched down on a westerly heading on the wet sand with forward motion causing a nose-low attitude. The main rotor struck the ground in front of the helicopter and then struck the tailboom, shearing it off. The pilot stated he had no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,760 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,896 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,322 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 30, 2004; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Panama City Bch FL at 2:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KPFN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N595H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.