Enstrom F-28F accident near Monroe, Louisiana, April 5, 2003
On April 5, 2003 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28F (helicopter), registered N86238, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Louisiana (Monroe airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. A contributing factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2003 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Louisiana · Monroe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28F · all F-28Fs on the register
- Registration
- N86238 · registry record · serial 737
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter student pilot reported he was on his second helicopter solo flight and had completed several touch-and-go landings. While practicing hovering over the taxiway, with the helicopter facing into the wind, he initiated a left hovering turn. As the helicopter was turning to face downwind, it became unstable, and the pilot turned the helicopter back to facing the wind. During a second left hovering turn, and as the nose of the helicopter was 90-110 degrees from the wind, the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The right skid hit the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The pilot had accumulated a total of 19.7 hours in helicopters.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 222 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 222 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,405 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 8, 2002; 884 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO 360 FIAD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU Monroe LA at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N86238 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.