Enstrom 280FX accident near Wendover, Utah, March 19, 2009
On March 19, 2009 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N280AD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Wendover, Utah (Wendover Airport). It was an instructional 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from an inadequate preflight inspection by both pilots and their failure to ensure that adequate fuel was on board for the flight. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2009 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wendover, Utah · Wendover Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N280AD · no longer on the register · serial 2013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that during the preflight inspection for the cross-country flight, they did not physically check the fuel level, but relied on the fuel gauge, which indicated about 32 gallons (210 pounds) of fuel, of which 2 gallons were unusable. About 2 hours into the flight, the low fuel pressure light came on and the engine began to sputter and miss. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter and began an autorotation, during which the engine quit. The helicopter subsequently contacted the ground and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom sheering the tail rotor shaft. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed a post accident inspection of the helicopter. During the inspection, less than 1 gallon of fuel was noted in both fuel tanks. When power was applied, the low fuel pressure warning light illuminated. After 1 gallon of fuel was added to each fuel tank, the low fuel pressure warning light extinguished and the engine was started. According to the pilot the helicopter used 16.6 to 18.5 gallons per hour at an average ground speed of 100 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Flight crew
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,340 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 950 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 2, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 92 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGD Ogden UT at 8:40 pm
- Destination: ENV Wendover UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from ENV, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N280AD 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.