Enstrom 280 accident near Port Orange, Florida, August 21, 2021
On August 21, 2021 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1978 Enstrom 280 (helicopter), registered N9285, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Port Orange, Florida (Spruce Creek airport). 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 failure of the tail rotor drive shaft at the coupling due to torsionally applied shear stress.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2021 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Port Orange, Florida · Spruce Creek · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280 C, built 1978 · all 280s on the register
- Registration
- N9285 · registry record · serial 1003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a local flight when just prior to touchdown, the helicopter began to spin to the right and made an uncommanded climb and spin to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder pedal, but the helicopter continued to spin to the right. He lowered the collective and landed hard on the skids, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed the tail rotor driveshaft was separated and free to spin inside the coupling. Metallurgical examination of the driveshaft revealed the bolt holes in the driveshaft were distorted, consistent with torsional shear-stress in the clockwise direction.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor drive system › Tail rotor drive shaft › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,829 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 3,455 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,326 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-EIAD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 176 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KDAB, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDAB 211753Z 25005KT 10SM SCT044TCU SCT055 BKN180 BKN250 34/24 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP144 TCU SW-NW DSNT SE-S T03440239 10350 20261 57007 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
s Photo 1 – main wreckage
Photo 2 – skid, fuselage damaged
Photo 3 – tail rotor strike, bent blades
Photo 4 – driveshaft with burn pattern
Photo 5 – driveshaft coupling, plugThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on July 26, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Report | PDF, 22 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N9285 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9285 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Enstrom 280 Shark 65 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Enstrom 215 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-EIAD 390 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Spruce Creek Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,705 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N9285 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA21LA339.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.