# Incident 20260516007019I: Enstrom F-28F, Helena, MT, May 16, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 16, 2026, 11:30 local time
- Place: Helena, MT
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.5955° N, 112.0187° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Helena, MT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.5955&lon=-112.0187&mi=10
- Aircraft: N857MM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N857MM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom F-28F (registry code 3300412, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM F-28F
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 676 total, 588 in this make and model
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260516007019I

## Narrative

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

ON 16 MAY PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND HELICOPTER TO A LEVEL UNIMPROVED LZ IN A PASTURE, AS HE WAS LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO SETTLE MUCH MORE THAN THE LEFT, THE PILOT THEN APPLIED COLLECTIVE TO STOP THE SETTLING AND THE HELICOPTER SPUN AROUND ABOUT 360 DEGREES WITH THE TAIL ROTER STRIKING THE GROUND COMING TO A STOP ABOUT THE SAME AS HIS INITIAL HEADING APPROACHING THE LZ, AFTER SHUT DOWN HE INSPECTED THE HELICOPTER AND THE RIGHT SKID/GEAR HAD COLLAPSED AND THE TAILROTOR WAS DAMAGED.

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.

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