Enstrom F-28C N4953X
28 November 1990 · Easton, Pennsylvania, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 28 November 1990 at about 14:45 local time, a Enstrom F-28C registered N4953X, operated by Jerry Engel, was involved in an accident near Easton, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Easton, Pennsylvania, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.6802, -75.2195
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C
- Registration
- N4953X
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Jerry Engel
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Trenton
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC91LA040
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
AN INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE LEFT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF LATERAL CYCLIC CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INCOMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER FOLLOWING A HARD LANDING WITH A BLADE STRIKE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
IN CRUISE FLT THE HELICOPTER UNEXPECTEDLY ROLLED 90 DEGREES LEFT. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO A LANDING, ROLLING OVER UPON TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE INTERMEDIATE BELLCRANK FOR LATERAL CONTROL HAD FRACTURED. THE FRACTURE SURFACE BORE EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD AND FATIGUE. THE BELLCRANK WAS TIGHT IN THE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, THE RIGHT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH HOLD THE INTERMEDIATE BELLCRANK FOR FORE AND AFT CONTROL HAD A CRACK. THE FRACTURE SURFACE WAS TYPICAL OF OVERLOAD. THE HELICOPTER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A HARD LANDING WITH A BLADE STRIKE ON THE TAIL BOOM. NO RECORDS WERE AVAILABLE TO INDICATE THE REPAIRS CONDUCTED. ACCORDING TO ENSTROM HELICOPTERS, THESE FRACTURES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN FOLLOWING A BLADE STRIKE. ACCORDING TO AN ENSTROM HELICOPTERS SERVICE LETTER, '...CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE TORQUE TUBES, BELLCRANKS, AND FITTING...' ARE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS ITEMS FOLLOWING A BLADE STRIKE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom F-28C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar 1990 | Enstrom F-28C | Canyon Lake, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Oct 1991 | Enstrom F-28C | Evergreen, Colorado, United States | James B. Highbanks | No injuries | - |
| 9 May 1989 | Enstrom F-28C | Regina, New Mexico, United States | Fair, Fred | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 1988 | Enstrom F-28C | Westerly, Rhode Island, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 1988 | Enstrom F-28C | Inyokern, California, United States | Westar | No injuries | - |
| 28 May 1992 | Enstrom F-28C | Oakland, California, United States | Oakland Police Department | Unknown | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 1990 | Aeronca 7BCM | Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States | Edward Cole | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1990 | Piper PA-23-150 | Radnow Township, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1990 | Cessna 340A | Prospect, Pennsylvania, United States | Brennan Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 1990 | Cessna 180 | Hilltown, Pennsylvania, United States | JOE A. Bawduniak | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-151 | Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-140 | Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, United States | Raymond L. Corper | No injuries | - |