What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 29, 2002, 1830 CDT, an Enstrom F28 helicopter, N383MA owned and operated by turner c. brown, commercial pilot certificate no. 436647334, was substantially damaged when the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The aircraft had landed in a corn field and the pilot exited the aircraft to relieve himself. From a statement taken from the pilot, he stated he was standing outside the aircraft, when a strong gust of wind caused the main rotor blades to strike the tailboom severing it from the aircraft. The engine was running at idle RPM and the rotor system engaged, the pilot subsequently disengaged the rotor system and shut down the engine. No flight plan was on file, neither the pilot nor his passenger were injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 29, 2002, 1830 CDT, AN ENSTROM F28 HELICOPTER, N383MA OWNED AND OPERATED BY TURNER C. BROWN, COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. 436647334, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED IN A CORN FIELD AND THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO RELIEVE HIMSELF. FROM A STATEMENT TAKEN FROM THE PILOT, HE STATED HE WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT, WHEN A STRONG GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAILBOOM SEVERING IT FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT IDLE RPM AND THE ROTOR SYSTEM ENGAGED, THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY DISENGAGED THE ROTOR SYSTEM AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE, NEITHER THE PILOT NOR HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N383MA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.