# NTSB WPR24LA090: Enstrom 280FX, N899JS, Lewistown, MT, February 15, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 14, 2024, 17:10 local (Feb 15, 2024, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Lewistown, MT · 2.8 miles from Lewistown Municipal Airport - Coordinates: 47.02175, -109.49497 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.0217&lon=-109.4950&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 193802 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193802/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193802 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA090 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s encounter with low light conditions and snow-covered terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Enstrom 280FX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=3300506), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Light condition: flat light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Enstrom 280FX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025/cases.md?model=3300506), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Enstrom 280FX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=3300506), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane rated pilot reported that he departed the airport traffic pattern with the intention of practicing helicopter maneuvers at about 200 ft. above ground level (agl) near sundown. The pilot reported that he felt a loud bang while maneuvering and realized he had “impacted the ground” without warning and the helicopter immediately rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported that he encountered a “VFR white out” in “flat light” conditions while maneuvering over snow-covered terrain. He also reported that he was not maintaining a safe altitude. The pilot reported that he had accumulated 59.5 total flight hours in rotorcraft; however, the pilot did not possess a helicopter rating. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N899JS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N899JS-2024-09-26), registration cancelled 2024-09-26, S/N 2049 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENSTROM 280FX - Registry model: [Enstrom 280FX](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-280fx) (registry code 3300506) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2049 - Year built: 1989 - Airframe hours: 1591 - Engines: Lycoming HI0-360-F1AD 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: One Pft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 21, 2023, 204 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: LWT, Lewistown Muni - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 23, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,897.6 total, 59.5 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days, 12.5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 310° at 3 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9 ft overcast - Temperature: 14 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: KLWT, 2.8 nm away - METAR: KLWT 150054Z AUTO 31003KT 9SM -SN OVC009 M10/M12 A3007 RMK AO2 SNB54 SLP245 P0000 T11001117 ## 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 20240214001229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240214001229A), Feb 14, 2024: Enstrom 280FX, Lewistown, MT, Substantial damage. Description of the deviation: On February 14, 2024, an Enstrom 280FX departed the Lewistown, MT airport (klwt) at 17:05. The pilot took off to the west and… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193802. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16975214&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20WPR24LA090pages67print_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 245 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16977112&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20WPR24LA090-Rel.pdf 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.