NTSB investigations: Enstrom Helicopter 280C

10 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Enstrom Helicopter 280C, where the first occurrence was “Loss of control - in flight”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19822026

NTSB investigations: Enstrom Helicopter 280C per year, 1982–2026: 10 cases
1982	1
1983	1
1984	1
1986	1
1988	1
1994	1
1997	1
2003	1
2004	1
2005	1

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with SQL

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1 WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('3300505') AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 250)) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('3300505')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 250))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('3300505')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 250))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB IAD05LA122Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Saulsville, WVThe pilot's inadequate remedial action following a loss of control during the landing approach.Aug 12, 2005 · N5691B · Substantial damage NTSB IAD05CA027Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Pedricktown, NJThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the takeoff and his failure to flare during the autorotation.Dec 30, 2004 · N175BM · Substantial damage NTSB MIA03CA106Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Panama City Bch, FLThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm and altitude during takeoff which resulted in the helicopter impacting the water during a descent in an attempt to maintain rotor rpm.May 10, 2003 · N51752 · Substantial damage NTSB IAD97GA049Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Lucasville, OHThe pilot in command failure to maintain rotor rpm.Feb 19, 1997 · N51662 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX94LA239Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom 280C · California City, CAthe pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain control of the helicopter.Jun 5, 1994 · N123MT · Substantial damage NTSB DEN88LA163Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Glendive, MTJul 19, 1988 · N111CD · Substantial damage NTSB NYC86LA107Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom F-280C · Ridgefield, NJSeconds after an over-water takeoff from a shoreline helipad the acft impacted the water and sank. The pilot and pax escaped from the submerged acft and were not injured. The pilot claimed that he had a split needle in which the rotor RPM deteriorated. The…Apr 18, 1986 · N51721 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN84LA271Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Bluffdale, UTPlt was practicing hovering over a 40 x 60 foot helicopter pad. Plt stated, a gust of wind caught the helicopter moving it off the pad and into nearby power lines. The terrain around the pad slopes down. The power lines were located aprx 125 ft from the pad…Aug 29, 1984 · N4992M · Substantial damage NTSB LAX83LA134Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnstrom F280C · Concord, CAThe helicopter collided with a tree during a landing after a decay in rotor RPM during takeoff. According to the pilot the acft was facing southeast prior to departure and the pilot estimated that the wind was from the northwest at 8 KTS. Following a pedal…Mar 11, 1983 · N5691H · Substantial damage NTSB DEN82DTM08Accident · No injuriesFinal reportEnstrom 280C · Midway, UTThe aircraft crashed while being moved about 150 ft from the parking area to a storage building. There was about 2 1/2 ft of fresh snow on the ground. The snow had been cleared from the parking area in front of the storage building. However, a snow cat had…Jan 2, 1982 · N51735 · Destroyed