Enstrom 280FX N383MA
2 March 2003 · Ruston, Louisiana, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 2 March 2003 at about 18:00 local time, a Enstrom 280FX registered N383MA was involved in an accident near Ruston, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ruston, Louisiana, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ruston Municipal Airport (RSN)
- Coordinates
- 32.5144, -92.5883
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX
- Registration
- N383MA
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ruston → Monroe
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW03LA102
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The separation of the upper tail cone as a result of a fractured bolt due to fatigue.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The 43-hour student helicopter pilot landed stated that he hovered the helicopter from the parking area to the taxiway for a west departure. After taxiing "at about a 2-3 foot skid height for about 100 yards, he settled the helicopter back down on the ground against a headwind, landing very, very gently." The pilot stated he started to "throttle down" the engine. At approximately 1/3 power, he heard a loud "splat," after which the helicopter "quivered." After shutting down the engine, the pilot exited the helicopter and noticed that the tail rotor was not turning. The 1986-model helicopter was reported to have accumulated a total of 1,609 hours since new. The investigation revealed that the tail cone separated and the associated bolt had fractured due to fatigue failure.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom 280 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2003 | Enstrom 280C | Panama City Bch, Florida, United States | Aeroquest Inc., | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2003 | Enstrom 280C | West Branch, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 2004 | Enstrom 280C | Pedricktown, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 2002 | Enstrom 280C | Coopersville, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Nov 2004 | Enstrom 280C | Galloo Island, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 2002 | Enstrom 280FX | Alsatia, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 2003 | Bell 206L-1 | B.s. 53, Louisiana, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Jan 2003 | Beechcraft T-34B | Hammond, Louisiana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 2003 | Bell 206L-1 | Oak Grove, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 2003 | Air Tractor AT-301 | Winnsboro, Louisiana, United States | Chuck Paris | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 2003 | Bell 407 | Houma, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 2003 | Mooney M20J | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |