- Date
- December 30, 2004, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pedricktown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N175BMEnstrom 280C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20041230034909A
- Case key
- 60785
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 failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the takeoff and his failure to flare during the autorotation.
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
During his first solo flight in the accident helicopter, the pilot made adjustments to the cyclic and collective controls during the takeoff. When his attention was diverted, the engine and rotor rpm decayed below the "green zone", and he subsequently elected to perform an autorotation to a field. He did not perform a landing flare and the helicopter landed hard, bounced, and then rolled onto its side. He reported no mechanical abnormalities with the helicopter and stated that the accident was "a result of pilot error."
Factual narrative
On December 30, 2004, about 1200 eastern standard time, an Enstrom 280C, N175BM, was substantially damaged during a hard landing following an autorotation near Spitfire Aerodrome (7N7), Pedricktown, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to pilot, he had received 4 hours of dual instruction in the accident helicopter on the 3 days prior to the accident, and had been "checked out" in the accident helicopter. On the morning of the accident, he departed for his first solo flight.
The pilot flew for about 30 minutes in the airport traffic pattern and performed several takeoffs and landings. On a subsequent takeoff, he watched the engine and rotor rpm gauges as he made adjustments to the cyclic and collective controls. While preparing for a right turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, he decreased the throttle as he diverted his attention to outside to scan for traffic. When he looked back to the engine rpm, it had dropped below the "green zone" and the rotor rpm was following very quickly. The pilot immediately decreased the collective to the full down position and increased the throttle.
About 400 feet above the ground, and in an autorotation, the pilot selected a field for a forced landing. The pilot stated that he did not perform a landing flare. The helicopter landed hard, bounced, and rolled onto its side.
The pilot reported no mechanical abnormalities with the helicopter and stated that the accident was "a result of pilot error."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N175BM
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1109
- Engine
- Lycoming H10-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bell Helicopter Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 7N7 · Pedricktown, NJ
- Airport
- 7N7 · Spitfire Aerodrome, runway 7
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
- 24
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 56 total · 4 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Observed at
- ILG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.