Enstrom F-28L accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, March 14, 1985
On March 14, 1985 at about 1:45 am local time, a Enstrom F-28L (helicopter), registered N51671, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah. It was an instructional 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 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
- March 14, 1985 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28L · all F-28Ls on the register
- Registration
- N51671 · no longer on the register · serial 402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENG LOST PWR ON FINAL APCH AT APRX 100 FT AGL. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED DURING THE AUTOROTATIONAL LANDING ON SOFT GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO POINT GAP WAS EXCESSIVELY CLOSED. DURING ENG TEST RUN, WHEN THE LEFT MAGNETO 'P' LEAD WAS DISCONNECTED, THE ENG OPERATED ON THE RIGHT MAG.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,875 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Prudential Capital Group CO.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.