Enstrom 280FX accident near Heber City, Utah, September 3, 2011
On September 3, 2011 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N280AD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Heber City, Utah. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to ensure that there was sufficient fuel onboard to conduct the flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the severity of the passengers’ injuries was the operator’s failure to provide adequate restraints for the passengers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2011 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- 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
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator was selling helicopter rides at a fly-in. After one such ride, a pilot, who was acting as a ground crewmember, measured the fuel level in the tanks with a calibrated wooden stick while the engine was running and the rotor blades were turning. He determined that about 8 gallons of fuel remained, which was sufficient for the next ride. About 9 minutes after takeoff, the engine lost power. Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter flying low when they heard the engine “sputter” or “pop.” The pilot reported that he performed an autorotation to a field; the helicopter landed hard on sloping terrain and rolled over onto its right side. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine lost power as a result of fuel exhaustion. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. The helicopter manufacturer provided a wooden stick for pilots to dip a fuel tank during preflight to determine the total quantity of fuel available for flight. A representative of the helicopter manufacturer stated that caution must be exercised when measuring fuel quantity with a stick, because the irregular shape of each fuel tank can make it difficult to interpret the actual fuel quantity at lower levels. It is likely that the pilot who checked the fuel level before the accident flight did not accurately determine the amount of fuel in the tanks. The helicopter was equipped with a fuel gauge mounted on the instrument panel in the cockpit that would have provided the accident pilot with a direct reading of the helicopter’s fuel quantity. The helicopter was being flown with the two cabin doors removed, an approved operation according to the rotorcraft flight manual. The helicopter left the factory with individual seat belts and shoulder restraints for three occupants. The passenger reported that someone buckled her and her son into the same lap belt; no shoulder strap was used. During postaccident examination, it was noted that the buckle half of the lap belt for the center seat had been removed. The center seat single-strap shoulder harness was found attached to the buckle half of the right seat lap belt. The right seat Y-type shoulder harness was found stowed behind the right seat back cushion. The first responders found the right seat occupant under the helicopter with his legs still in the cabin. Both passengers sustained serious injuries. It is likely that the lack of separate lap belt/shoulder harness assemblies for the two passengers increased the severity of their injuries.
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
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Passenger compartment equip › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,363 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 15, 2011; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Park Helicopters LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: 36U Heber UT at 6:12 pm
- Destination: 36U Heber UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from PVU, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.