Enstrom F-280 accident near Medora, North Dakota, July 29, 1982
On July 29, 1982 at about 6:27 pm local time, a Enstrom F-280 (helicopter), registered N4202S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medora, North Dakota (Private Helipad airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 29, 1982 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Medora, North Dakota · Private Helipad · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-280
- Registration
- N4202S · registry record · serial 1018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT THE PLT NOTICED THAT ENG RPM WAS ABOUT 500 OVER ROTOR RPM. THE ACFT CRASHED DURING AN UNSUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION. THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH LINKAGE & CLUTCH WAS FOUND IN THE DISENGAED POSITION. A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION REQUIRES THAT THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL LEVER BE PLACED IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION & THE HELICOPTER POSITIONED IN A DESCENT SO AS TO MAINTAIN APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH FORWARD AIRSPEED & THE M/R BLADE SPEED KEPT WITHIN THE GREEN ARC ON THE TACHOMETER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 670 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 656 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 478 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HTO-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Medora ND at 12:25 pm
- Destination: Medora ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.