Enstrom F28A accident near La Verne, California, May 27, 1988
On May 27, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F28A (helicopter), registered N4898, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Verne, California (Brackett Field). 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 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
- May 27, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Verne, California · Brackett Field · 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
- N4898 · no longer on the register · serial 055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A PRACTICE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION (AUTO). THE HELO REMAINED IN CLOSED TRAFFIC FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOS TO A LANDING AREA ADJACENT TO THE APRT'S RWY. THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER HELO IN CLOSED TRAFFIC USING THE LANDING AREA FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. THE OTHER HELO WAS LANDING LONG IN THE AREA ALLOWING THE ACCIDENT HELO TO USE THE FIRST HALF. THE PVT PLT INITIATED THE AUTO. THE CFI THEN TOOK COMMAND OF THE HELO BECAUSE HE FELT THEY WOULD NOT CLEAR A PERIMETER FENCE LOCATED SHORT OF THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE CFI THEN APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO EXTEND THE GLIDE OVER THE FENCE. THE PRIVATE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS DEPLETED AND THE CFI DID NOT FLARE THE HELO SUFFICIENTLY TO REGAIN ROTOR RPM OR DECREASE THE GROUND SPEED. THE HELO LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. NEITHER THE PRIVATE PLT NOR THE CFI REPORTED ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,220 as pilot in command; 850 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,554 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 1988; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HI0-360-CIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from POC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.