20041230034909A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrm 280C · Pedrictown, NJ · December 30, 2004

Date: December 30, 2004 · 11:10 local
Place: Pedrictown, NJ
Airport: Old Mans Airport
Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N175BM
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD05CA027
Reported as: Enstrm 280C
Fatal injuries: 0

N175BMRegistration cancelled Aug 27, 2012 · Enstrom Helicopter 280CS/N 1109 · Built 1977 Airframe modelEnstrom Helicopter 280C 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 made a normal takeoff and began a cyclic climb. He cleared the area to the right before turning crosswind and became distracted. When the pilot returned his eyes to the guages he observed the engine RPM below the normal operating range and the rotor RPM was deteriorating. The pilot lowered the collective and rolled the throttle on. The helicopter was approximately 400 feet. The helicopter began a descent and the pilot did not flare as the helicopter approached the ground. The helicopter impacted the ground in a near level attitude, bounced and rolled over on its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND BEGAN A CYCLIC CLIMB. HE CLEARED THE AREA TO THE RIGHT BEFORE TURNING CROSSWIND AND BECAME DISTRACTED. WHEN THE PILOT RETURNED HIS EYES TO THE GUAGES HE OBSERVED THE ENGINE RPM BELOW THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE AND THE ROTOR RPM WAS DETERIORATING. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE ON. THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A DESCENT AND THE PILOT DID NOT FLARE AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, BOUNCED AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 IAD05CA027Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportPedricktown, NJThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the takeoff and his failure to flare during the autorotation.Dec 30, 2004 · Substantial damage