Enstrom F-28C N426KA

Summary

On 6 February 2010 at about 16:19 local time, a Enstrom F-28C registered N426KA, operated by Theriault Richard C, was involved in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, 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.

Date

6 February 2010 at 16:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

St. Lucie County International (FPR)

Coordinates

27.4917, -80.3703

Aircraft

Enstrom F-28C

Registration

N426KA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Theriault Richard C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Pierce → Fort Pierce

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA134

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent encounter with settling with power while hovering downwind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he hover-taxied the helicopter downwind in an 18-knot wind that gusted to 26 knots, before he landed and purchased fuel. For the subsequent takeoff, he again hover-taxied downwind to his requested runway. He said the winds were exacerbated either by gusts or a "wind tunnel" effect from two rows of hangers. As the helicopter hovered downwind, the pilot was unable to arrest his descent, forward travel, or a loss of rotor rpm with the adjustment of throttle, collective, and cyclic controls. The helicopter continued over and descended into a drainage "lagoon" before it struck the opposite bank and nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. According to the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, among the conditions conducive to settling with power are downwind approaches at low forward airspeed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.