# Accident 20011122035389A: Enstrm F28F, Tallassee, AL, November 22, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 22, 2001, 13:41 local time - Place: Tallassee, AL - Airport: Reeves Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.5197° N, 85.8925° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5197&lon=-85.8925&mi=10 - Aircraft: N280XF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N280XF-2002-04-25) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Enstrom 280FX (registry code 3300506, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-280fx) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming HI0-360 series (registry code 41553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hi0-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENSTRM F28F - Reported engine: LYC HIO360F1AD - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 900 total, 150 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA02FA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02FA026) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011122035389A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) WHILE ON THE BASE LEG APPROACH TO TALLASSEE AIRPORT, THE PILOT OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN A MANNER THAT CAUSED IT TO THE COLLIDE WITH KNOWN POWER LINES. AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED FOR FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY AND SYSTEMS CHECKS. AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS INSPECTED AND ALL SYSTEMS FOUND OK. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 22, 2001, ABOUT 1330 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A ENSTROM 280FX, N280XF, REGISTERED TO TREAD-AIRE, LLC, COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRES, WHILE APPROACHING RUNWAY 13, AT REEVES AIRPORT, TALLASSEE, ALABAMA, WHILE ON A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE 2 PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A RESIDENCE, ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE KEEPS THE HELICOPTER AT HIS RESIDENCE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HE FLEW TO HIS SISTERS HOUSE. AFTER DINNER, HE DEPARTED HIS SISTERS HOUSE, WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, WITH THE 2 PASSENGERS. THEY FLEW AROUND THE TOWN OF TALLASSEE, AND HE THEN ENTERED ON THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 13 AT REEVES AIRP ORT. HE TURNED ON BASE OVER THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER, AND WAS FLYING TO THE SOUTH. HE OBSERVED A GLIMMER AND REMEMBERS SEEING POWER LINES. THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERS IS BEING IN THE RIVER. (.4) THE PILOT STATED HE KEEPS THE HELICOPTER AT HIS RESIDENCE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HE FLEW TO HIS SISTERS HOUSE. AFTER DINNER, HE DEPARTED HIS SISTERS HOUSE, WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, WITH THE 2 PASSENGERS. THEY FLEW AROUND THE TOWN OF TALLASSEE, AND HE THEN ENTERED ON THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 13 AT REEVES AIRPORT. HE TURNED ON BASE OVER THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER, AND WAS FLYING TO THE SOUTH. HE OBSERVED A GLIMMER AND REMEMBERS SEEING POWER LINES. THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERS IS BEING IN THE RIVER. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER SHOWED IT HAD COLLIDED WITH AN UNMARKED POWER TRANSMISSION LINE, WHICH DROOPED BELOW THE TREE LEVEL ON THE RIVER BANKS, TO A POINT ABOUT 75 FEET ABOUT THE RIVER. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT MIDPOINT IN THE RIVER AND THE WIRE RAPPED AROUND THE MAIN ROTOR MAST. THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE RIVER ABOUT 500 FEET SOUTH OF THE POWER LINES. P OSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER AND ENGINE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE. TOXICOLOGY TESTS PERFORMED ON SPECIMENS OBTAINED FROM THE PILOT AFTER ADMISSION TO A HOSPITAL WERE NEGATIVE FOR ETHANOL AND DRUGS. ## 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 MIA02FA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02FA026), Nov 22, 2001: Enstrom 280FX (N280XF), Tallassee, AL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain a safe altitude above terrain and maintain a visual lookout resulting in the helicopter colliding with power transmission lines and crashing into a river. A… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.