Enstrom 280FX accident near Taylorsville, Kentucky, June 11, 2007
On June 11, 2007 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N93GP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taylorsville, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper prefight inspection of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2007 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Taylorsville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N93GP · registry record · serial 2117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that about 150 feet agl, during climb after takeoff, the helicopter's engine began running very rough and was losing power. An autorotation landing was made, and during the ensuing hard landing, the main rotor blades separated the tail boom. Postaccident examination of the airframe fuel system showed large amounts of water and bio-organic contamination in the fuel system. Examination of the engine and accessories showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,590 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,450 as pilot in command; 1,631 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 146.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Taylorsville KY at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BYR Bardstown KY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from SDF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.