Enstrom 280FX accident near Berlin, New York, October 1, 1989
On October 1, 1989 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N413DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Berlin, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1989 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Berlin, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N413DB · registry record · serial 2007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS CRUISING AT 1000 FT AGL, WHEN A POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE APPROACH TO LAND, HE TRIED TO STRETCH HIS GLIDE IN ORDER TO AVOID TREES, BUT RAN OUT OF SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT SKID COLLAPSED DURING A LANDING IN A UNEVEN FIELD AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,495 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 355 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B5 Bennington VT at 7:15 pm
- Destination: POU Poughkeepsie NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.