Enstrom 280FX accident near Menominee, Michigan, July 16, 1988
On July 16, 1988 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N280FX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Menominee, Michigan (Memominee airport). It was a business 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
- July 16, 1988 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Menominee, Michigan · Memominee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N280FX · registry record · serial 2001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF AN AUTOROTATION TO A RUN-ON LANDING, THE HELICOPTER SKIDS DRAGGED IN THE SOFT GRASS UPON TOUCHDOWN, AND THE HELICOPTER VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHEN THE HELICOPTER VEERED LEFT, THE RIGHT SKID DUG DEEPER INTO THE TURF AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,885 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,643 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 15, 1987; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from GRB, 44 miles away
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.
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.