Enstrom F28-C N88RA
7 October 1990 · Mesquite, Texas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 7 October 1990 at about 19:47 local time, a Enstrom F28-C registered N88RA, operated by DR. Donald Gillum, was involved in an accident near Mesquite, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously 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 19:47
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mesquite, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 32.7600, -96.5897
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28-C
- Registration
- N88RA
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- DR. Donald Gillum
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW91FA002
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
INSTALLATION ERROR OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. FACTORS WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, THE TAILWIND, THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM, AND THE INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE HELICOPTER HAD DEPARTED THE RANCH FOR A LOCAL AREA PLEASURE FLIGHT WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. IT WAS OVER A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE GLIDE BY PULLING IN COLLECTIVE PITCH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN (QUARTERING TAILWIND) TO THE ONLY AVAILABLE CLEAR AREA. THE MAIN ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED VERTICALLY OUT OF CONTROL TO IMPACT ONTO THE OPEN FIELD. THE SKIDS COLLAPSED AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED RIGHT. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT A MISALIGNED P-LEAD WIRE IN THE MAGNETO HAD CHAFED AND ARCED. ADDITIONALLY, BOTH P-LEAD CAPS WERE FOUND LOOSE. THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE FOR THE OPERATOR STATED THAT HE AND HIS MECHANIC DID NOT ADJUST THE MAGNETO TIMING BECAUSE IT WAS TO HARD TOO REACH ON THE HELICOPTER. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN WITHOUT DUPLICATION OF THE POWER LOSS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom F28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1991 | Enstrom F28 | Hampshire, Illinois, United States | Asteroid Helicopter Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 1992 | Enstrom F28 | Lakewood, Colorado, United States | Gavit, Steven E. | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 1995 | Enstrom F28-280C | Blue Ash, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 May 1998 | Enstrom F28 | West Chicago, Illinois, United States | Oliver's Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 1977 | Enstrom F28 | Montgomery, Alabama, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Aug 1975 | Enstrom F28 | Falmouth, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Mar 1990 | Bell 206B | Pearland, Texas, United States | Houston Helicopter, Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Mar 1990 | Cessna 172G | Rio Hondo, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 1990 | Beechcraft 100 | Uvalde, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Apr 1990 | Hughes H500C | Houston, Texas, United States | Mark R. Lancaster | No injuries | - |
| 15 Apr 1990 | Hughes 369HS | Junction, Texas, United States | Neveri, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1990 | Cessna 152 | Albany, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |