Enstrom 280FX accident near Summerville, South Carolina, June 7, 1992
On June 7, 1992 at about 9:30 am local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N86262, was destroyed in an accident near Summerville, South Carolina (Dorchester County airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS WERE THE OBSCURED SKY AND FOGGY WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1992 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Summerville, South Carolina · Dorchester County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N86262 · no longer on the register · serial 2070
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE TO FLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HELICOPTER FROM SUMMERVILLE TO CHARLESTON (15 MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST) FOLLOWING MAINTENANCE WORK. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ARRIVE AS SCHEDULED, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND 4 DAYS LATER IN A FORESTED SWAMP, ABOUT .6 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND UPRIGHT, DESTROYED BY FIRE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF IMPACT WITH A LARGE TREE AT ABOUT 70 FEET AGL. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 145 HOURS OF HELICOPTER FLIGHT TIME, BUT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, NOR WAS THE AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATED FOR IFR. NUMEROUS LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED HEAVY FOG CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT; ONE PERSON WHO REPORTEDLY HEARD THE CRASH ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY TO BE ABOUT 50-100 YARDS IN FOG. DARKNESS ALSO PREVAILED AT THE REPORTED TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TREES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,515 hours in all; 98 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 5, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 71S Summerville SC
- Destination: CHS Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am from CHS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.