- Date
- May 30, 1992, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wenatchee, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N86239Enstrom 280FX
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920530017199A
- Case key
- 41686
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 in command's inadequate visual lookout. Factors contributing to the accident were: object (fence post) and windshield dirty (foggy)
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 final approach to land, the helicopter's right spray boom struck a metal fence post resulting in a loss of control. The helicopter subsequently collided with terrain after the main rotor blades impacted nearby power lines. The pilot reported that he did not see the fence post and that the helicopter's windscreen was obscured with chemical spray.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86239
- Reported as
- Enstrom 280FX
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 925
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Pfisters Farm Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Falcon West Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 14, 1992 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- Malaga, WA
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,262 total · 80 in this make and model · 80 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EAT, 2 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.