- Date
- May 25, 1984, 18:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Martin, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N490HEnstrom F-28A
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840525036459A
- Case key
- 12626
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
The plt had landed on a dragstrip after he encountered deteriorating wx. When the wx improved, he took off & attempted to depart over a bleacher area. The plt had difficulty climbing over the bleachers & said 'noticed RPM at 2700, helicopter in a turn.' He lowered the collective slightly to recover, the helicopter continued to turn & he decided to return to the dragstrip, if possible. Subsequently, the right skid hit a guard rail & the helicopter crash landed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N490H
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 299
- Airframe hours
- 879
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- B & G Helicopter
- Registered owner
- Paul E. Geddes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 24, 1984 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- GRR · Grand Rapids, MI
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,224 total · 66 in this make and model · 2,955 as pilot in command · 194 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.