Enstrom 280FX accident near Russellville, Kentucky, July 27, 2024
On July 27, 2024 at about 7:50 pm local time, a 1988 Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N280D, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Russellville, Kentucky (Russellville-Logan County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain sufficient rotor rpm while maneuvering the helicopter low to the ground, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2024 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Russellville, Kentucky · Russellville-Logan County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX, built 1988 · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N280D · no longer on the register · serial 2027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor uneventfully demonstrated a rapid deceleration maneuver to the fixed-wing pilot-rated passenger into the wind, performed a left pedal turn, and performed another rapid deceleration maneuver (with a tailwind). The flight instructor then initiated another left pedal turn; however, the helicopter failed to turn, and the low-rotor RPM light came on. The flight instructor said that he attempted to recover by lowering the collective and adding full throttle, but the throttle was already fully open. The low-rotor RPM light remained illuminated and engine RPM started to drop. The helicopter landed and slid down a slope adjacent to the runway and came to rest on its left side. This resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and tail cone. The pilot rated passenger provided a similar account of the events and said that after he exited the helicopter, the instructor told him that they had just “settled with power.” The flight instructor reported there were no mechanical deficiencies that contributed to the accident.
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
- Settling with power/vortex ring state during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 307 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 194 as pilot in command; 5 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 860 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,536 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (piston); 1,536 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07/2, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from BWG, 21 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBWG 271953Z AUTO 08004KT 10SM BKN090 OVC110 31/22 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03060217
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA327.