# Incident 20210407001799I: Enstrom F-28A, Springdale, AR, April 7, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 7, 2021, 18:00 local time
- Place: Springdale, AR
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1867° N, 94.1288° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Springdale, AR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1867&lon=-94.1288&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9274, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9274) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom F-28A (registry code 3300406, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0-360-B1E (registry code 41559, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0-360-b1e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM F-28A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0-360-B1E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,975 total, 20 in this make and model, 92 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210407001799I

## Narrative

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

INVESTIGATION:  ON APRIL 7, 2021 AT 1800 LOCAL AT KASG, THE PILOT OF N9274 WHILE ON A SOLO HELICOPTER FLIGHT WAS PERFORMING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS ON THE FIELD SOD AREA WHEN THE LADING GEAR CONTACTED A SOFT MUDDY AREA CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW, AND SUBSEQUENTLY BREAK OFF THE TAIL STINGER AS IT ROLLED AFT.  NO OTHER DAMAGE OR INJURIES SUSTAINED.

INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT FAILED TO ASSESS THE SUITABILITY OF THE LANDING AREA AND IMPROPER CONTROL MOVEMENTS DURING THE HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS.  NO REGULATORY VIOLATIONS DISCOVERED.

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS:  COMPLACENCY

CORRECTIVE ACTION:  PILOT AGREED TO HAVE A CFII FLY WITH HIM TO ENSURE PROPER CONTROL MOVEMENTS DURING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS, AND HOVERING MANEUVERS.

COMMENTS:  AIRMAN HAD A COMPLIANT ATTITUDE AND AGREED TO PROVIDE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTATION REQUESTED.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.