# NTSB ERA21LA016: Enstrom 480, N899RT, Woodstock, CT, October 10, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 10, 2020, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Woodstock, CT
- Coordinates: 41.955631, -72.054258 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9556&lon=-72.0543&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102127
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA016
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102127/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102127
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA016

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while attempting to land on a trailer in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Enstrom Helicopter 480, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3300560), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Enstrom Helicopter 480, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=3300560), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097) (defining event); cases with it: [Enstrom Helicopter 480, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=3300560), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was attempting to land the helicopter on a trailer when a gust of wind pushed the helicopter and the left skid got caught under the side of the trailer. The helicopter entered a dynamic rollover and impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor blades, tailboom and the tail rotor. The wind speed reported at an airport located about 14 nautical miles from the accident site was 11 knots with gusts up to 20 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N899RT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N899RT-2022-11-05), registration cancelled 2022-11-05, S/N 5044 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM 480 (B)
- Registry model: [Enstrom Helicopter 480](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-helicopter-480) (registry code 3300560) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison 250 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-series) (registry code 03019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 5044
- Engines: Rolls Royce 285 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: NH16, Brookline, NH
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: C44, Toutant Airport
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 90; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,014 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observed at: KIJD, 14 nm away
- METAR: KIJD 101752Z AUTO 20011G20KT 10SM CLR 23/13 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP124 T02330133 10239 20139 58026

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20201010019029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201010019029A), Oct 10, 2020: Enstrom Helicopter Corp 480, Putnam, CT, Substantial damage. On October 10, 2020, at approximately 09:00, [privacy data omitted](PIC) and two passengers [privacy data omitted] took off from C44 to brookline NH. The…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102127. 4.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 5 pages, 433 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11550144&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Witness statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11553782&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness2_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 890 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11549442&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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