20120220001709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrom F-28C · Kalispell, MT · February 20, 2012

Date: February 20, 2012 · 10:30 local
Place: Kalispell, MT
Airport: Kalispell City
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N51727
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12LA111
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: 2,900 total272 in this make and model140 in the last 90 days

N51727Registration cancelled Jan 9, 2018 · Enstrom F-28CS/N 393 · Built 1977 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.

On February 20, 2012, about 1030 MST, an Enstrom F-28C helicopter, N51727, was substantially damaged following a loss of power and impact with terrain at the Kalispell City Airport (S27), Kalispell, MT. The instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight instructor stated the following: they were performing a fourth practice autorotation, which was to be a 180 degree left turn from the downwind leg to the runway threshold flown by the student. The engine quit midway through the maneuver and he took control of the helicopter. He felt some resistance when he attempted to lower the collective and stated "my ship" to the student. The landing was firm with the main rotor blades separating the aft three feet of the tail rotor assembly. The helicopter became momentarily airborne after first contact with the ground and rotated 180 degrees to come to rest on its skids.

As the FAA filed it

ON FEBRUARY 20, 2012, ABOUT 1030 MST, AN ENSTROM F-28C HELICOPTER, N51727, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER AND IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AT THE KALISPELL CITY AIRPORT (S27), KALISPELL, MT. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE NOT INJURED.THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THE FOLLOWING: THEY WERE PERFORMING A FOURTH PRACTICE AUTOROTATION, WHICH WAS TO BE A 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN FROM THE DOWNWIND LEG TO THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD FLOWN BY THE STUDENT. THE ENGINE QUIT MIDWAY THROUGH THE MANEUVER AND HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. HE FELT SOME RESISTANCE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE COLLECTIVE AND STATED "MY SHIP" TO THE STUDENT. THE LANDING WAS FIRM WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATING THE AFT THREE FEET OF THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY. THE HELICOPTER BECAME MOMENTARILY AIRBORNE AFTER FIRST CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND ROTATED 180 DEGREES TO COME TO REST ON ITS SKIDS.

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 WPR12LA111Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKalispell, MTA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.Feb 20, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N51727 · 2

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

Accident 19811001064619AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Big Lake, AKRotor drive clutch failed while lifting a sling load. Made hard autorotation landing next to load. Pn CL405267.Oct 1, 1981 · Substantial damage Accident 19770722020969ASfl Autorotation · Medford, OREng quit drg practice autorotation. Suspected fuel vaporization. Srvc ltr 0062 refers. Steep flare.Jul 22, 1977 · Reported as Enstrm F28ENSTR/ · Substantial damage