Enstrom F-28C accident near Laconia, New Hampshire, October 25, 1987
On October 25, 1987 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N51699, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laconia, New Hampshire (Laconia airport). 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 25, 1987 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Laconia, New Hampshire · Laconia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51699 · registry record · serial 416
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS DEMONSTRATING A FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION IN WINDS THAT WERE FROM 290 DEG AT 15 GUSTING 20 KTS. HE STATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SOFT WITH A LOT OF PITCH PULLED IN; HOWEVER, AS HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RETREATING BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD & SEVERED THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THE PLT BELIEVED HE HAD LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TOO FAST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BLADES TO FLAP DOWNWARD. ALSO, HE BELIEVED THE HIGH WIND & REDUCED RPM FROM THE AUTOROTATION WOULD HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE RETREATING ROTOR BLADES.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 666 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 232 in the last 90 days; 591 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,753 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 8, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCI at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N51699 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.