Enstrom F28C accident near Santa Paula, California, September 7, 1990
On September 7, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F28C (helicopter), registered N51633, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Paula, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EXCESSIVE APPROACH SPEED TO THE PINNACLE LANDING POINT AND THE PILOT'S DELAYED LANDING FLARE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28C · all F28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51633 · no longer on the register · serial 397
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE HIS APPROACH TO A MOUNTAIN PINNACLE AT AN EXCESSIVE SPEED. HIS FAST APPROACH RESULTED IN A LATE LANDING FLARE AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE HIGH POWER APPLICATION AT THE TIME OF THE HARD LANDING RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, TURNED RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 119 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-EIAD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ojai CA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.