# Accident 20110829020209A: Enstrom F-28F, Menominee, MI, August 29, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 29, 2011, 13:15 local time
- Place: Menominee, MI
- Airport: Menominee-Marinette Twin Count
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.1267° N, 87.6383° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1267&lon=-87.6383&mi=10
- Aircraft: N228F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N228F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom F-28F (registry code 3300412, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (registry code 41896, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-f1ad) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM F-28F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,200 total, 152 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11CA638](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA638) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110829020209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPANY TEST FLIGHT WAS TO MEASURE COLLECTIVE STICK FORCES WITH THE COLLECTIVE BIAS DISABLED. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE HELICOPTER'S ONLY OCCUPANT, LIFTED THE HELICOPTER INTO A HOVER AND THEN HOVERED CLEAR OF ANY OBSTACLES. HE REPORTED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROLS WERE HEAVY AS EXPECTED, BUT THE HELICOPTER WAS VERY CONTROLLABLE. DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO POSITION A FORCE GAUGE BETWEEN HIS HAND AND THE COLLECTIVE GRIP, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND IT LANDED HARD ONTO THE RAMP. THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE RAMP AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER SHOWED THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT AND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHEARED. THE PILOT REPORTED HE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN AN OBSERVER OR OTHER PERSONNEL ON THE FLIGHT TO ASSIST WHILE HE CONCENTRATED ON FLYING THE HELICOPTER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN11CA638](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA638), Aug 29, 2011: Enstrom F-28F (N228F), Menominee, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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