What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Enstrom 280C helicopter collided mid-air with an Enstrom F-28A helicopter after departure from N81. Both helicopters observed to be flying in close proximity to each other shortly before the accident. The helicopters were slightly staggered from each other and flying on a similar heading. The helicopters converged until they came in contact with each other.
The Enstrom 280C began a tumbling descent before impacting terrain. The helicopter was destroyed by a postimpact fire, and most of the fuselage and main rotor system had been consumed by the fire. The tail cone remained relatively intact and displayed terrain impact damage and the aft portion of the tail cone displayed damage consistent with impact while in flight. Portions of one main rotor blade, the tail rotor, and tail cone were found along the debris path.
The pilot of the Enstrom 280C was fatally injured in this accident.
As the FAA filed it
ENSTROM 280C HELICOPTER COLLIDED MID-AIR WITH AN ENSTROM F-28A HELICOPTER AFTER DEPARTURE FROM N81. BOTH HELICOPTERS OBSERVED TO BE FLYING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTERS WERE SLIGHTLY STAGGERED FROM EACH OTHER AND FLYING ON A SIMILAR HEADING. THE HELICOPTERS CONVERGED UNTIL THEY CAME IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.
THE ENSTROM 280C BEGAN A TUMBLING DESCENT BEFORE IMPACTING TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY A POSTIMPACT FIRE, AND MOST OF THE FUSELAGE AND MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM HAD BEEN CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. THE TAIL CONE REMAINED RELATIVELY INTACT AND DISPLAYED TERRAIN IMPACT DAMAGE AND THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL CONE DISPLAYED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT WHILE IN FLIGHT. PORTIONS OF ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, THE TAIL ROTOR, AND TAIL CONE WERE FOUND ALONG THE DEBRIS PATH.
THE PILOT OF THE ENSTROM 280C WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.