- Date
- September 7, 1990, 06:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Paula, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N51633Enstrom F28C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 26655
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 excessive approach speed to the pinnacle landing point and the pilot's delayed landing flare. Factors in the accident were: lack of total experience in this type of operation.
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 pilot made his approach to a mountain pinnacle at an excessive speed. His fast approach resulted in a late landing flare and the helicopter landed hard. The high power application at the time of the hard landing resulted in a loss of directional control. The aircraft became airborne, turned right and impacted the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51633
- Reported as
- Enstrom F28C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 397
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-EIAD, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brunette, Louis L.
- Departed
- NONE · Ojai, CA
- Destination
- NONE
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 119 total · 119 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F