20030302003459A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Enstrm 280FX · Ruston, LA · March 2, 2003

Date: March 2, 2003 · 12:00 local
Place: Ruston, LA
Airport: Ruston Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi, Other Helicopter
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N383MA
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW03LA102
Reported as: Enstrm 280FX
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO360E1AD
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 180 total40 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N383MARegistered now · Enstrom 280FXS/N 2048 Airframe modelEnstrom 280FX Engine modelLycoming HI0-360 seriesTurbo-shaft

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) The pilot hovered to taxiway, landed and began to go through the aircraft checklist prior to take-off. He then heard a loud noise and felt the helicopter shake. Mr. Vandenberg then disengaged the transmission and shut the engine down. He then looked back at the rear of the helicopter and noticed that the tail boom was drooping. After walking back to investigate, he noticed that the upper tail boom attachment bolt was broken.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT HOVERED TO TAXIWAY, LANDED AND BEGAN TO GO THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT THE HELICOPTER SHAKE. MR. VANDENBERG THEN DISENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. HE THEN LOOKED BACK AT THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AND NOTICED THAT THE TAIL BOOM WAS DROOPING. AFTER WALKING BACK TO INVESTIGATE, HE NOTICED THAT THE UPPER TAIL BOOM ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS BROKEN.

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 FTW03LA102Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRuston, LAThe separation of the upper tail cone as a result of a fractured bolt due to fatigue.Mar 2, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N383MA · 1

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

Accident 20020429011139AAlsatia, LA(-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…Apr 29, 2002 · No damage