20021122033139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrm F-28C · Morrison, CO · November 22, 2002

Date: November 22, 2002 · 18:45 local
Place: Morrison, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N552CS
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA018
Reported as: Enstrm F28C
Fatal injuries: 0

N552CSRegistration cancelled Dec 11, 2012 · Enstrom F-28CS/N 437 · Built 1978 Airframe modelEnstrom F-28C Engine modelLycoming HIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was attempting a landing at a helipad located at the fort restaurant in Morrison, CO. On approach the pilot was unable to distinguish the flag on top of the restaurant which he had intended to use for wind direction indication. Pilot initiated a go-around to the north of the facility. The flight path was downslope below the helipad. (This was a night flight with little ground reference lighting). Apparently, he lost situational awareness and as he turned the aircraft back towards the landing zone his tail rotor contacted some aerial telephone lines (20' elevation). The aircraft spun one and a half revolutions and then pancaked into the rising terrain. His passenger experienced a minor back sprain. The aircraft experienced substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A LANDING AT A HELIPAD LOCATED AT THE FORT RESTAURANT IN MORRISON, CO. ON APPROACH THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH THE FLAG ON TOP OF THE RESTAURANT WHICH HE HAD INTENDED TO USE FOR WIND DIRECTION INDICATION. PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND TO THE NORTH OF THE FACILITY. THE FLIGHT PATH WAS DOWNSLOPE BELOW THE HELIPAD. (THIS WAS A NIGHT FLIGHT WITH LITTLE GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTING). APPARENTLY, HE LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND AS HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARDS THE LANDING ZONE HIS TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED SOME AERIAL TELEPHONE LINES (20' ELEVATION). THE AIRCRAFT SPUN ONE AND A HALF REVOLUTIONS AND THEN PANCAKED INTO THE RISING TERRAIN. HIS PASSENGER EXPERIENCED A MINOR BACK SPRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN03LA018Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMorrison, COthe pilot not maintaining clearance from the telephone lines during landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot not being able to see the telephone lines, the low altitude, and the dark night.Nov 23, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N552CS · 1

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

Accident 19881116052289AForced/Precautionary Landing · Inyokern, CALost power and rotor speed after takeoff. Made hard landing. Helicopter rolled on its side. No defects found.Nov 16, 1988 · Substantial damage