Enstrom F-28C accident near Sausalito, California, December 28, 1984
On December 28, 1984 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N51755, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sausalito, California. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 28, 1984 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sausalito, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51755 · no longer on the register · serial 436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WX CONDS WERE SKY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/16 OF A MILE IN FOG. PLT ARRIVED AT HELIPORT, WENT DIRECTLY TO ACFT AND STARTED ENGINE. ANOTHER HELIPORT PLT WENT TO ACFT AND ADVISED MISHAP PLT AGAINST DEPARTURE DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. MISHAP PLT REPLIED HE THOUGHT 'THE WEATHER WAS BETTER A LITTLE WAYS DOWN THE BAY.' ACFT COLLIDED WITH WATER ABOUT 30 SECS AFTER LIFTOFF.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1984; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: Sausalito CA
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 9:00 am
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.
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.