Enstrom F-28A accident near Stewartsville, New Jersey, August 16, 1994
On August 16, 1994 at about 10:28 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28A (helicopter), registered N13CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stewartsville, New Jersey. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1994 · about 10:28 pm local time
- Place
- Stewartsville, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28A · all F-28As on the register
- Registration
- N13CM · registry record · serial 090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THE PILOT MADE AN AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO UNEVEN TERRAIN, HE '...MADE [THE] DECISION TO ZERO OUT AIRSPEED DURING TOUCHDOWN.' THE PILOT STATED HE LEVELED THE HELICOPTER AND '...PULLED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION.' DURING THE LANDING A MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL 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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER during cruise
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- HARD LANDING during emergency landing
Pilot
- Ratings: none, single-engine land, single-engine sea, helicopter, none, helicopter, AIRS, helicopter, none
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,464 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 15, 1994; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: Warren County NJ at 10:05 pm
- Destination: NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°C, dew point 59°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from ABE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N13CM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO94LA137.