Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alsatia, Louisiana 71276
Monday, April 29, 2002 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed the helicopter in a corn field and disembarked from the helicopter while the rotors were still under power. Subsequently, he said that a "gust of wind" came and the main rotor severed the tail boom.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The main rotor contact to the tail boom resulting from the pilot leaving the helicopter unattended while the rotors were engaged.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Alsatia
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71276
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 325902N
Event Location Longitude 0911221W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13077
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1228
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2003 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N383MA
NTSB Number FTW02LA138
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Enstrom
Aircraft Model 280FX
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2048
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 4
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Turner C. Brown
Aircraft Owner Street Address 166 Southern Carbon
Aircraft Owner City Monroe
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71203
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MLU
Departure City Monroe
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Alsatia
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing - idling rotors
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 10 2003 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --