Enstrom 280C N51739
14 November 2004 · Galloo Island, New York, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 14 November 2004 at about 20:00 local time, a Enstrom 280C registered N51739 was involved in an accident near Galloo Island, New York, United States. 2 people were 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 20:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Galloo Island, New York, United States
- Coordinates
- 43.8981, -76.4211
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C
- Registration
- N51739
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Syracuse → Galloo Island
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD05LA031
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the pilot's improper decision to operate the helicopter outside the height velocity curve.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
While conducting aerial photography operations, at an altitude about 80 feet agl and at an estimated groundspeed of 20 knots, the helicopter's engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot then performed the emergency checklist and configured the helicopter for an autorotation. As the helicopter descended the pilot reported that the rotor and the engine would not "separate," and the rotor rpm continued to decrease. The helicopter impacted the ground hard, incurring damage to a main rotor blade and the tail boom. The engine was test run at idle rpm following the accident, and found to operate normally. Subsequent disassembly and examination of the engine and the clutch revealed no anomalies. A review of the height velocity diagram for the helicopter showed that given the conditions at the time of the accident, the helicopter was being operated outside of the safe operating area.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Enstrom 280 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 2004 | Enstrom 280C | Pedricktown, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 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 | - |
| 12 Aug 2005 | Enstrom 280C | Saulsville, West Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 2003 | Enstrom 280FX | Ruston, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Mar 2006 | Enstrom 280F | Peetz, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 2004 | Piper PA32-300 | Montauk, New York, United States | Mark R. Gosden | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 2004 | Pzl 101 | Chazy, New York, United States | Robert Langford | No injuries | - |
| 19 Mar 2004 | Gates Learjet 35A | Utica, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 2004 | Cessna 172F | Cooperstown, New York, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 27 Mar 2004 | Hughes 269B | Farmingdale, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2004 | Cessna 182Q | Brighton Beach, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |