# Accident 19980412006729A: Enstrm F28F, Haines, AK, April 12, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 12, 1998, 14:30 local time
- Place: Haines, AK
- Airport: Haines Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: LABA
- Location: 59.1594° N, 135.8596° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.1594&lon=-135.8596&mi=10
- Aircraft: N199LB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N199LB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom F-28F (registry code 3300412, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTRM F28F
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 220 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA037) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980412006729A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

MAIN ROTOR BLADE FAILED ON HARD LANDING FROM PRACTICE AUTOROTAITON. ROTORS HIT TAILBOOM. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HELD HIS FLARE TOO LONG DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION AND ALLOWED THE TAIL TO CONTACT THE GROUND.                       (-23)ANC98LA037                                                            (.19) ON APRIL 12, 1998, AT 1430 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ENSTROM F-28F HELICOPTER, N199LB, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING AT THE HAINES AIRPORT, HAINES, ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED HELICOPTER PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND DEPARTED HAINES AT 1425 AS A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED WITH THE PILOT'S COMPANY. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NBSB INVESTIGATOR ON APRIL 13, 1998, THE PILOT STATED HE WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR AN UPCOMING FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FLIGHT TEST. HE INDICATED THE 15 TO 20 KNOT WINDS WERE ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE FLARE, THE HELICOPTER TAIL SKID CONTACTED THE RUNWAY, AND THE HELICOPTER LA                                                             NDED HARD. THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX SUBSEQUENTLY SEPARATED, AND TWO MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA037), Apr 12, 1998: Enstrom F-28F (N199LB), Haines, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot flaring too low during an improper practice autorotation.

## Other reports on N199LB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19950811031909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950811031909I), Aug 11, 1995: Enstrm F28A (N199LB), Haines, AK, Minor damage. Landing downwind tail veered left struck a bank.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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