Enstrom 280 FX accident near Mount Vernon, Washington, April 11, 1992
On April 11, 1992 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Enstrom 280 FX (helicopter), registered N377JD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mount Vernon, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
A HARD LANDING BY THE PILOT, AFTER A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1992 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Vernon, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280 FX · all 280 FXs on the register
- Registration
- N377JD · registry record · serial 2007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING LOCAL REVENUE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHTS AND THE ENGINE QUIT. HE INITIATED A FORCED TO A CULTIVATED FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND ROLLED OVER. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 474 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 539 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1992; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO360F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Mount Vernon WA at 10:25 pm
- Destination: NONE Mount Vernon WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from 75S, 3 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.