20260202007429A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrom F-28C · Leeds, UT · February 2, 2026

Date: February 2, 2026 · 13:01 local
Place: Leeds, UT
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5692Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR26LA094
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,405 total

N5692YRegistered now · Enstrom F-28CS/N 494-2 · Built 1980 Airframe modelEnstrom F-28C Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

Witnesses saw the pilot attempting to take off from his driveway for a local flight. The helicopter lifted off into a hover, which witnesses described as "unstable," prompting the pilot to land. They then heard an increase in main rotor RPM, followed by a near-vertical climb. At about 80 feet above ground level, the helicopter suddenly descended, striking a tree with its tail rotor before hitting the ground with its main rotor blades. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, approximately 40 feet from its departure point. The aircart sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, tail rotor system, landing gear, and the fuselage.

The pilot reported that he did not have sufficient power to maintain altitude and lost control of the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

WITNESSES SAW THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM HIS DRIVEWAY FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF INTO A HOVER, WHICH WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS "UNSTABLE," PROMPTING THE PILOT TO LAND. THEY THEN HEARD AN INCREASE IN MAIN ROTOR RPM, FOLLOWED BY A NEAR-VERTICAL CLIMB. AT ABOUT 80 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY DESCENDED, STRIKING A TREE WITH ITS TAIL ROTOR BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND WITH ITS MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE, APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM ITS DEPARTURE POINT. THE AIRCART SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM, LANDING GEAR, AND THE FUSELAGE.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER.

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 WPR26LA094Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportLeeds, UTOn February 2, 2026, at about 1301 mountain standard time, an Enstrom F-28C helicopter, registration N5692Y, was substantially damaged near Leeds, Utah. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. At the time of the accident, the helicopter was being…Feb 2, 2026 · Substantial damage