ATL83LA191

NTSB accident investigation · Enstrom F-28C · Wise, VA · May 20, 1983

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 20, 1983, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Wise, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N654HEnstrom F-28C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19830520020539A
Case key
6066

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with terrain/waterTaxi - aerial
Planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - improperPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The plt reported that he had stayed in the local area & had been practicing slow hover over the grass beside the rwy. There was a paved ramp that he had to cross, each time he went from one end of the rwy to the other. He said when he came to this area, he would climb to about 35 to 50 ft, before crossing. After crossing the ramp, he would let down on the other side. According to the plt, the wind changed as he was crossing the ramp which resulted in a tail wind. After he started back down, the helicopter would not stop descending until it hit the ground. It bounced aprx 10 to 12 ft in the air. During the bounce, the plt felt an unusual vibration & had very little control. Therefore, he shut-off the master switch & let it fall. Aprx 2 ft of the tail boom was cut off, the skids were bent up & the belly & main rotors were damaged. Reportedly the impact occurred while the helicopter was settling with power applied.

Aircraft

Registration
N654H
Reported as
Enstrom F-28C
Category
Helicopter
Serial number
384
Engine
Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Parkis Dotson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Airport
LNP · Lonesome Pine

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
59
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,284 total · 34 in this make and model · 1,200 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
8,000 ft broken
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
TRI, 31 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.