Enstrom F-28A accident near Brunswick, Georgia, July 30, 1983
On July 30, 1983 at about 3:11 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28A (helicopter), registered N9078, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brunswick, Georgia. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1983 · about 3:11 pm local time
- Place
- Brunswick, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28A · all F-28As on the register
- Registration
- N9078 · no longer on the register · serial 193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS 'TOPPED OFF' WITH FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. ABOUT 1 HR & 10 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THERE REPORTEDLY WAS A LOUD 'BANG' WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY SPUTTERING FROM THE ENG & A DECAY IN THE ENG RPM. AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE INTO A SMALL CLEARING IN A WOODED, SWAMPY AREA. DURING LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM OF THE ENG WAS MADE, BUT NO DESCREPANCIES THAT WOULD RESULT IN A POWER LOSS WERE FOUND.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,051 hours in all; 755 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 9,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,748 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 28, 1983; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 49J Hilton Head SC at 2:00 pm
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:08 pm from SSI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.