Enstrom F28F accident near Middle River, Minnesota, April 24, 1993
On April 24, 1993, a Enstrom F28F (helicopter), registered N81HF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middle River, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM'S MAGNETO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1993
- Place
- Middle River, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28F · all F28Fs on the register
- Registration
- N81HF · registry record · serial 513
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT MISS IN THE ENGINE PRIOR TO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. TRYING TO AVOID POWERLINES IN FRONT OF HIM, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES INTO THE WIND, BUT WASN'T ABLE TO PICK UP ENOUGH SPEED FOR A GOOD AUTO-ROTATION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE IGNITION VIBRATOR, PART NUMBER 10-382780-12, WAS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING THE ENGINE FAILURE. A MECHANIC FILED AND ADJUSTED THE POINTS IN THE VIBRATOR, AND WAS THEN ABLE TO OBTAIN AND PROVIDE SPARK TO THE SPARKPLUGS.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 660 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 660 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-FIAD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N81HF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.