Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Padre Island, Texas 78597
Saturday, April 8, 1989 14:16 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED LOCAL WINDS TO BE 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS. HE WAS REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO AN AREA 200 YARDS AWAY AND EXECUTED A DOWNWIND DEPARTURE FROM A HOVER. THE APPROACH TO LAND WAS ALSO DOWNWIND WITH A PEDAL TURN APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 50 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LATERALLY IN A RIGHT DIRECT CROSSWIND AND THE LEFT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED LEFT AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION. THE ADVERSE WEATHER WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1416
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PADRE ISLAND
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78597
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 295
Weather Observation Facility ID CRP
Elevation of weather observation facility 44
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1509
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39853
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51774
NTSB Number FTW89LA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ENSTROM
Aircraft Model F28C
Aircraft Series Identifier F28C
Aircraft Serial Number 440
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAMUEL L. SCOTT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 814 BOOTY
Aircraft Owner City CORPUS CHRISTI
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78404
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1414
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --