Enstrom TH-28 N8631E
29 February 1992 · Leadville, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 29 February 1992 at about 17:22 local time, a Enstrom TH-28 registered N8631E, operated by Enstrom Helicopter Corporation, was involved in an accident near Leadville, Colorado, 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 17:22
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Leadville, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Lake County (LXV)
- Coordinates
- 39.2409, -106.2891
- Aircraft
- Enstrom TH-28
- Registration
- N8631E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Enstrom Helicopter Corporation
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN92LA036
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT MISJUDGING THE DESCENT RATE AND CONSEQUENTLY DELAYING THE FLARE. A FACTOR WAS: DOWNDRAFT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THIS WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTAL TEST FLIGHTS LEADING TOWARDS FAA CERTIFICATION OF THE MODIFIED HELICOPTER. DATA POINTS FOR THE HEIGHT VELOCITY CURVE HAD BEEN COLLECTED AND THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONFIRM THEIR ACCURACY. AT 46 KNOTS AND 400 FEET AGL, THE PILOT MADE AN INTENTIONAL AUTOROTATION. HE SAID THE SINK RATE WAS HIGHER THAN PREVIOUSLY NOTED, AND HEAVY ROTOR BLADE STALL MADE THE FLARE INEFFECTIVE. THE PILOT SAID A DOWNDRAFT MAY HAVE PRECIPITATED THE ACCIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 1992 | Cessna 310-L | Hugo, Colorado, United States | Bell, Anthony H. | No injuries | - |
| 4 May 1992 | Boeing 757-222 | Denver, Colorado, United States | United Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Jul 1992 | Piper PA-34-200T | Lamar, Colorado, United States | Lyddon Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1992 | Embraer EMB-120 RT | Denver, Colorado, United States | Mesa Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jan 1992 | Cessna 152 | Falcon, Colorado, United States | Patrick Clayton | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1992 | Cessna 172P | Englewood, Colorado, United States | P.c. Flyers, Inc. | No injuries | - |