Enstrom F-28A accident near Mansfield, Ohio, September 30, 1987
On September 30, 1987 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28A (helicopter), registered N29GC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mansfield, Ohio (Mansfield Lahm Municipal). It was a personal 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
- September 30, 1987 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, Ohio · Mansfield Lahm Municipal · 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
- N29GC · registry record · serial 187
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO THE RIGHT AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT AS SHE WAS HOVER-TAXIING AWAY FROM THE HANGAR TOWARD THE TAKEOFF AREA. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE WIND AT THE TIME WAS BLOWING FROM 320 DEG AT 15 KTS GUSTING TO 22 KTS, AND THAT THE HELO LIFTOFF POINT WAS ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF THE HANGAR. THE FAA BASIC HELICOPTER HANDBOOK AC61-13B NOTES THAT TURBULENCE IS LIKELY TO BE FOUND NEAR THE GROUND OF THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF BLDGS WHENEVER THE WIND VELOCITY EXCEEDS 10 MPH (8.7 KTS).
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 683 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,004 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 1986; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from MFD
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.
Other NTSB records under N29GC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.