20110623011789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrom F-28C · Blair, NE · June 23, 2011

Date: June 23, 2011 · 13:00 local
Place: Blair, NE
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5694A
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11LA414
Reported as: Enstrom F-28C
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 36,000 total8,000 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days

N5694ARegistered now · Enstrom F-28CS/N 491-2 · Built 1980 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.

Pilot and observer were conducting powerline patrol at 150 foot AGL. The pilot heard and felt a loud bang, followed by high vibrations and total loss of tail rotor control. During the emergency landing, the left skid hit the ground first, causing the helicopter to tip over on its side.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE CONDUCTING POWERLINE PATROL AT 150 FOOT AGL. THE PILOT HEARD AND FELT A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY HIGH VIBRATIONS AND TOTAL LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING, THE LEFT SKID HIT THE GROUND FIRST, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO TIP OVER ON ITS 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 CEN11LA414Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBlair, NEThe failure of a tail rotor pitch change link due to the retaining bolt becoming separated in flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection.Jun 23, 2011 · Substantial damage