Enstrom 280C accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, May 17, 1989
On May 17, 1989 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N624H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado (Colorado Springs airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND WIND CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1989 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spgs, Colorado · Colorado Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N624H · registry record · serial 1078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RETURNING FROM A LOCAL PHOTO FLT, THE PLT MADE AN APCH TO A HOVER LANDING NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 17. HE WAS THEN CLEARED TO CROSS THE RWY & PROCEED (SOUTH-SOUTHEAST) TO THE INTENDED PARKING AREA. AS HE STARTED FORWARD & BEGAN A CLIMB, HE NOTICED WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS A PARTIAL POWER LOSS & HE INITIATED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN WITH FORWARD SPEED & SLID TO A STOP, THEN ROCKED BACKWARD & TO THE LEFT, DAMAGING THE MAIN & TAIL ROTOR BLADES. A POST ACDNT ENG RUN WAS MADE, BUT NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE RPRTD POWER LOSS. THE PREVAILING WIND WAS FROM 340 DEG AT 10 KTS. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 20 KTS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7300 FT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 188 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS at 4:32 pm
- Destination: COS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 pm from COS, 1 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.