- Date
- April 8, 1989, 14:16 local (19:16 UTC)
- Place
- Padre Island, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N51774Enstrom F28C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890408006869A
- Case key
- 22853
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 pilot's decision to fly in adverse weather condition. The adverse weather was a related factor.
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 commercial pilot reported local winds to be 15 knots with gusts to 50 knots. He was repositioning the helicopter to an area 200 yards away and executed a downwind departure from a hover. The approach to land was also downwind with a pedal turn approximately 30 to 50 feet AGL. The aircraft drifted laterally in a right direct crosswind and the left skid contacted the ground. The helicopter then rolled left and the main rotor blades struck the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51774
- Reported as
- Enstrom F28C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 440
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Samuel L. Scott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,700 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRP, 19 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.
Other investigations on N51774 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.