Enstrom F-28F accident near Oelwein, Iowa, March 29, 2026
On March 29, 2026 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 1988 Enstrom F-28F (helicopter), registered N942MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Oelwein, Iowa (Oelwein Municipal Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the hover taxi with a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2026 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Oelwein, Iowa · Oelwein Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28F, built 1988 · all F-28Fs on the register
- Registration
- N942MA · registry record · serial 754
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while hover taxiing, the helicopter encountered a quartering tailwind and immediately started to spin. The pilot attempted to correct the spin by reducing engine power; however, the helicopter touched down hard. During the hard landing, the left skid collapsed and the main rotor blades impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was hover taxiing the helicopter to the north with wind from 170° at 18 knots.
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 control in flight during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Other weather encounter during taxi (from runway)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi (from runway)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 643 hours in all; 78 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 2, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,062 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VYS Peru IL at 5:47 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,822 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KOLZ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KOLZ 291915Z AUTO 19015KT 10SM CLR 19/03 A2996 RMK A01=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CEN26LA154.