Enstrom 280C accident near Butler, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1984
On October 28, 1984 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N51686, was destroyed in an accident near Butler, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- October 28, 1984 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51686 · registry record · serial 1113
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE STATIC LINE OF A HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINE WHILE ON A FLT TO PHOTOGRAPH AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE OWNER OF THE COMPLEX ACCOMPANIED THE PLT ON THE FLT, THERE AFTER THE ACFT WAS TO BE USED FOR PASSENGER SIGHTSEEING FLTS AS PART OF SALES PROMOTION FOR A RESTAURANT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE LINE, THE ACFT PITCHED DOWN & HIT THE HILLSIDE & CONTINUED ITS CRASH TRAJECTORY ONTO HWY 68. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.
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
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 372 hours in all; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Action Air Helicopters,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Butler PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from PIT, 23 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.
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.