Enstrom 280C N56932

Summary

On 28 May 1983 at about 19:30 local time, a Enstrom 280C registered N56932, operated by Curtis Parkis Dotson, was involved in an accident near Opelousas, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

28 May 1983 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Opelousas, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

St. Laundry Airport (OPL)

Coordinates

30.5199, -92.0804

Aircraft

Enstrom 280C

Registration

N56932

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Curtis Parkis Dotson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW83FA251

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED TO LIFT OFF TO A HOVER AND BEGAN AN ERRATIC HOVER. THE ACFT PITCHED UP AND SPUN THROWING THEPLT OUT AND FATALLY INJURING HIM. WITNESSES SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW THE PLT WAS GOING TO FLY THE HELICOPTER. THE OPINION WAS THAT IT WAS TO BE AN ENGINE RUN-UP ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE HIS SEAT BELT FASTENED. AFTER HE WAS THROWNOUT THE ACFT FLEW SPINNING UP AND DOWN UNTIL IT IMPACTED IN A FLAT SPINNING MOTION AND SPUN ON THE GROUND UNTIL ROTATION STOPPED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. A WITNESS ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ABOUT 87 FT FROM THE INITIAL LIFT-OFF POINT. THE PLT HAD ABOUT 8 HOURS SOLO IN HELICOPTERS AND HAD JUST BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT SIMILAR TO THE ONE ABOUT 1 WEEK EARLIER. IN THAT ACCIDENT HE WAS NOT INJURED. THIS HELICOPTER WAS BEING CHECKED BY THE PLT WITH THE IDEA OF PURCHASE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.