- Date
- October 5, 1998, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bow, NH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8618NEnstrom F280
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981005028319A
- Case key
- 44114
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 inadequate visual lookout and his failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tower. A factor in this accident was the gusty wind conditions.
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 of the helicopter was practicing touch and go landings from a private heliport he owned. During the approach, the helicopter's tail boom struck a 330 foot tall guyed meteorological equipment tower, which was located about 1/2 miles from the heliport. The helicopter then descended and impacted the ground, where it was consumed by a post crash fire. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact abnormalities. The pilot said 'strong wind gusts' pushed the helicopter into the tower, which he did not see because it was on his 'blind side.' The weather reported at an airport about 5 miles northeast of the accident site was: sky clear; visibility 10 statue miles; winds from 350 degrees at 13 knots, with 20 knot gusts.
Factual narrative
On October 5, 1998, about 1415 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F280, N8618N, was destroyed when it struck a tower while on approach to the Audley Divide Heliport (NH10), Bow, New Hampshire. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injures. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot was practicing touch and go landings from NH10, a private heliport he owned.
In a written statement the pilot said:
"...I was headed north-northwest in strong wind conditions, which put me in a crabbed attitude. I was preparing to land at my heliport, when strong winds gusts, apparently pushed [the helicopter] southeast into the top a 330 foot tower, which I never did see, on my blind side."
The helicopter then descended and impacted the ground, where it was consumed by a post crash fire.
A witness stated:
"...I looked up and saw [the helicopter] coming my way. I thought at first it was there by the radio tower to work on the tower. It was very windy and all at once the helicopter went to the left. When this happened the tail section hit the tower, breaking off and staying on the tower. The main fuselage spiraled to the ground...."
Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact abnormalities. The helicopter struck a guyed meteorological equipment tower, which was located about 1/2 miles from the heliport and was painted orange and white.
The weather reported at an airport about 5 miles northeast of the accident site at 1351, was: sky clear; visibility 10 statue miles; winds from 350 degrees at 13 knots, with 20 knot gusts.
The pilot reported about 1,200 hours of total flight experience, of which about 520 hours were in helicopters, all in the accident helicopter make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8618N
- Reported as
- Enstrom F280
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1507
- Airframe hours
- 2,026
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 225 lbs thrust, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert S. Audley
- Registered owner
- Bow Aircraft Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1998 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · NH
- Airport
- NH10 · Audley Divide Heliport
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
- 73
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,190 total · 518 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CON, 5 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.