# NTSB FTW79DQG22: Enstrom 280C, N51781, Colorado City, TX, March 29, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 29, 1979
- Place: Colorado City, TX · COLORADO CITY, TX
- Location: 32.3995° N, 100.8583° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Colorado City, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3995&lon=-100.8583&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 17, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 137929
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW79DQG22
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW79DQG22

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0336  79/3/29    COLORADO CITY,TX    ENSTROM 280C        CR-  0  0  1  MISCELLANEOUS             COMMERCIAL, AGE 37, 3229
        TIME - 1330                    N51781              PX-  0  0  1  DEMONSTRATION             TOTAL HOURS, 55 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - MITCHELL COUNTY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          COLORADO CITY,TX            LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           HARD LANDING                                             LANDING: POWER-OFF AUTOROTATIVE LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED SPEED AND ALTITUDE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - SUDDEN WINDSHIFT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          SCATTERED                                                UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  RELATIVE BEARING OF WIND
          NONE                                                     HEAD WIND 338-022 DEGREES
        TEMPERATURE-F                                            WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
           80                                                      170
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           15                                                      VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N51781 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM 280C
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Mitchell County

## 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 19790329005349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790329005349A), Mar 29, 1979: Enstrm 280C, Colorado City, TX, Substantial damage. Sales demonstration flight. Pilot made hard landing from practice autorotation. Main blades cut off tail boom.

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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