Enstrom F28A accident near Port Isabel, Texas, July 16, 1988
On July 16, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F28A (helicopter), registered N9087, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Isabel, Texas (Ben'S Heliport airport). It was a personal 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 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
- July 16, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Port Isabel, Texas · Ben'S Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28A · all F28As on the register
- Registration
- N9087 · no longer on the register · serial 211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED A MAX-PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF, CLEARED AN OBSTACLE, AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED FORWARD FLIGHT, THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DECREASED. HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THE RPM AND MAINTAIN ALTITUDE SO HE SELECTED A LANDING AREA. DUE TO PERSONS ON THE BEACH SITE, HE CHANGED THE LANDING SITE. HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE AND NOTED THAT THE RPM DECAYED FURTHER. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE BUT HIGH SINK RATE. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 95 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,095 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,020 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 23, 1987; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:43 pm from BRO, 45 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.
Other NTSB records under N9087 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.