- Date
- August 12, 1985, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Groton, CT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8623XEnstrom F-28F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 35943
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Enstrom F28F, N8623X was performing auto rotation at Groton-new london, Connecticut when a loss of power was experienced, the student pilot was at the controls and entered auto rotation with the understanding that it would terminate in a power recovery. After the flare with the skids level and directional control being the maintained, collective pitch was appied, an increase in RPM was observed. Then a rapid decrease in RPM occurred. The instructor pilot took over in an attempt to land acft straight ahead. At touchdown the helicopter veered left. The skids failed in an outward direction and the main rotor struck the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8623X
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 731
- Airframe hours
- 395
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F-1AD, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Four Water Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- N04 · Madison, CT
- Destination
- GON · Groton, CT
- Airport
- Groton, runway 23, 5,000 × 150 ft
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,048 total · 118 in this make and model · 1,881 as pilot in command · 224 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg