Enstrom F-28C accident near Canyon Lake, California, March 18, 1990
On March 18, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N554H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canyon Lake, California. 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 TO MAINTAIN PROPER ROTOR RPM DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNEVEN TERRAIN SELECTED BY THE PILOT TO CONDUCT PRACTICE TOUCH MANEUVERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Canyon Lake, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N554H · registry record · serial 1039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING SOLO AND PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS TO AN UNEVENLY SLOPED OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO BLEED OFF AND WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THE RPM BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE LEFT SKID OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. THE MAIN ROTOR THEN CONTACTED THE TAILBOOM.
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
- Flight time: 1,296 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1989; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wildomar CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from RAL, 22 miles away
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.