Enstrom 280C N51662

Summary

On 19 February 1997 at about 07:02 local time, a Enstrom 280C registered N51662 was involved in an accident near Lucasville, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 February 1997 at 07:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Lucasville, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

38.7507, -82.9496

Aircraft

Enstrom 280C

Registration

N51662

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD97GA049

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot in command failure to maintain rotor rpm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial helicopter pilot/owner received a request from the local authorities to assist in an official law enforcement search mission, at 0030. The pilot and a passenger took off from the airport and arrived on scene about 0155, after a 20 minute flight. A Deputy climbed into the helicopter as the spotter during the search mission. With three people onboard, the helicopter climbed to about 5 feet in altitude, landed, and the passenger exited the helicopter. The helicopter took off and made a climbing turn downwind to about 150 feet in altitude. Witnesses reported that the helicopter dropped nearly straight down into a wooded area. Minutes after the accident, when EMT personnel and another Deputy arrived at the crash site, the rotor blades were stopped, but the engine was running. Examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.