Enstrom 480 accident near Goshen, Indiana, August 5, 2005
On August 5, 2005 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Enstrom 480 (helicopter), registered N480FX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goshen, Indiana (Goshen Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Ground resonance experienced by the pilots.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2005 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Goshen, Indiana · Goshen Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 480
- Registration
- N480FX · registry record · serial 5028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the student smoothly lowered the collective and set the helicopter on the ground as he was rolling off the throttle. The helicopter then started to bounce (ground resonance) and the CFI reached down to make sure the collective was down and the throttle was off. The helicopter continued to "shake violently and ripped itself apart." The helicopter had a new design of elastomeric damper installed 91 flight hours before the accident. The new design dampers had been flight tested at the factory and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration prior to being put into service. The helicopter had experienced severe vibrations on two previous flights, one of which resulted in the chin bubble being broken. Inspection of the accident dampers, at the damper manufacturer's factory, determined the dampers were within manufacturer's specifications. After the accident flight the helicopter manufacturer recalled all the new design elastomeric dampers.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,107 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,980 as pilot in command; 1,233 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20W (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRR Grand Rapids MI
- Destination: GSH Goshen IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,585 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.