20150126000539A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Enstrom 280FX · Erie, CO · January 26, 2015

Date: January 26, 2015 · 12:00 local
Place: Erie, CO
Airport: Erie Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N86235
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15FA126
Reported as: Enstrom 280FX
Reported engine: Lycoming HI0-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0

N86235Registration cancelled Jun 1, 2018 · Enstrom 280FXS/N 2002 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.

On January 26, 2015, at Erie Municipal Airport (eik), N86235, an Enstrom 280FX helicopter crashed during landing. Two people were on board, a flight instructor and a student pilot, both sustained fatal injuries from the crash. On approach to runway 15, one of the main rotor (m/r) grips and adjoining blade departed the aircraft. The corresponding out of balance effect of the main rotor system caused one of the remaining two blades to strike the tail rotor blade and gearbox assembly causing their departure. Continued vibration caused the two remaining m/r blades, m/r hub, mast and transmission assembly to break free of the aircraft, impacting the ground 9 yds, east of the runway. The remaining fuselage continued 90 yds beyond the blades, m/r hub, mast and transmission assembly, impacting the ground just off of the east side of the runway.

There was a post-crash fire resulting from the impact.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 26, 2015, AT ERIE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (EIK), N86235, AN ENSTROM 280FX HELICOPTER CRASHED DURING LANDING. TWO PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD, A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND A STUDENT PILOT, BOTH SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES FROM THE CRASH. ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 15, ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR (M/R) GRIPS AND ADJOINING BLADE DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE CORRESPONDING OUT OF BALANCE EFFECT OF THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM CAUSED ONE OF THE REMAINING TWO BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE AND GEARBOX ASSEMBLY CAUSING THEIR DEPARTURE. CONTINUED VIBRATION CAUSED THE TWO REMAINING M/R BLADES, M/R HUB, MAST AND TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY TO BREAK FREE OF THE AIRCRAFT, IMPACTING THE GROUND 9 YDS, EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE REMAINING FUSELAGE CONTINUED 90 YDS BEYOND THE BLADES, M/R HUB, MAST AND TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY, IMPACTING THE GROUND JUST OFF OF THE EAST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.

THERE WAS A POST-CRASH FIRE RESULTING FROM THE IMPACT.

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 CEN15FA126Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportErie, COAn in-flight failure of the helicopter's #2 main rotor spindle due to undetected fatigue cracking, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to failure were the nonconforming thread root radius of the spindle and the manufacturer's failure to…Jan 26, 2015 · Destroyed

Other reports on N86235 · 1

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

Incident 20030417004439ILevel Off Touchdown · Corona, CA(-23) Pilot experienced a change in rudder pedal control forces and operation and elected to divert to nearest airport. At about 15 above the runway the aircraft began a slow revolution to the right. Pilot elected to execute an autorotation. Damage to…Apr 17, 2003 · Minor damage