# NTSB LAX95LA139: Enstrom F28C-2, N5693W, San Gorgonio, CA, March 19, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 18, 1995, 16:30 local (Mar 19, 1995, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: San Gorgonio, CA
- Coordinates: 33.939197, -116.649909 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9392&lon=-116.6499&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 29059
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA139
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29059/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA139

## Probable cause

the pilot's selection of an inadequate terrain clearance altitude while overflying mountainous terrain.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly
  - weather condition - turbulence,terrain induced
  - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - altitude/clearance - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly

## Analysis

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN A WILDERNESS AREA DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING UPSLOPE ABOVE A WATERFALL WHEN THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY OUT OF THE DOWNDRAFT, BUT THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED DESCENDING. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND ROLLED DOWNSLOPE. THE PILOT INDICATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

## Factual narrative

On March 18, 1995, at 1630 hours Pacific standard time, an Enstrom F28C-2, N5693W, collided with mountainous terrain in the San Jacinto Wilderness Area, San Gorgonio, California.  The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured.  The helicopter was destroyed by impact with trees and the ground.  The helicopter was being operated as a sightseeing flight under 14 CFR Part 91.  The local flight originated from an off-airport landing area in Cabazon, California, at 1600 hours on the day of the accident.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

The pilot indicated he was flying upslope above a waterfall when he encountered a downdraft and the helicopter began to settle.  While attempting to fly out of the downdraft, the pilot determined the helicopter was still descending.  The pilot flared the helicopter, struck trees with the main rotor blades, and sloping terrain with the left skid of the landing gear.  The helicopter then rolled to the right downslope until the right skid hit the ground.  The right skid collapsed and the helicopter came to rest upright on the left skid and right side of the fuselage belly.

The pilot indicated in the pilot accident report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter before the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5693W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5693W-1997-05-20), registration cancelled 1997-05-20, S/N 4902 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM F28C-2
- Registry model: [Enstrom F-28C](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-f-28c) (registry code 3300407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 490-2
- Airframe hours: 1190
- Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360-E1BD 225 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: Skyline Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 14, 1995, 15 hours before
- Departed: CABAZON, CA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,368 total, 1,008 in this make and model, 1,368 as pilot in command, 247 in the last 90 days, 86 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: BUO, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19950318004409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950318004409A), Mar 18, 1995: Enstrm F28C, San Gorgonio, CA, Destroyed. Reported downdraft and descent in downdraft. Added power to no avail. Flared. Rotors struck trees. Rolled downslope

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.