Enstrom F-28A accident near Belmont, New Hampshire, October 11, 1986
On October 11, 1986 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28A (helicopter), registered N238Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belmont, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 11, 1986 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belmont, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28A · all F-28As on the register
- Registration
- N238Q · no longer on the register · serial 274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLT WHEN AN ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE PLT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AND MADE A HARD LANDING WHICH COLLAPSED THE LEFT FRONT STRUT. THE NOSE LOWERED AS THE TAIL CONE ROSE AND THE MAIN ROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL ROTOR. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS A FAILURE OF THE #4 CONNECTING ROD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 176 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 115 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,083 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 7, 1986; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 7:15 pm
- Destination: CON Concord NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 186° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from CON, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.