- Date
- July 27, 2024, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Russellville, KY · On taxiway
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N280DEnstrom 280FX
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Settling with power/vortex ring state
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240727013599A
- Case key
- 194783
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain sufficient rotor rpm while maneuvering the helicopter low to the ground, which resulted in a loss of control.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor uneventfully demonstrated a rapid deceleration maneuver to the fixed-wing pilot-rated passenger into the wind, performed a left pedal turn, and performed another rapid deceleration maneuver (with a tailwind). The flight instructor then initiated another left pedal turn; however, the helicopter failed to turn, and the low-rotor RPM light came on. The flight instructor said that he attempted to recover by lowering the collective and adding full throttle, but the throttle was already fully open. The low-rotor RPM light remained illuminated and engine RPM started to drop. The helicopter landed and slid down a slope adjacent to the runway and came to rest on its left side. This resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and tail cone. The pilot rated passenger provided a similar account of the events and said that after he exited the helicopter, the instructor told him that they had just “settled with power.” The flight instructor reported there were no mechanical deficiencies that contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N280D
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280FX
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2027
- Built
- 1988
- Airframe hours
- 1,536
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 2024
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 4M7 · Russellville-Logan County, runway 07/25, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 307 total · 84 in this make and model · 194 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 860 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- BWG, 21 nm away
- METAR
- KBWG 271953Z AUTO 08004KT 10SM BKN090 OVC110 31/22 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03060217
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.