Enstrom 280 accident near Thornton, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1990
On April 22, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Enstrom 280 (helicopter), registered N493H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thornton, Pennsylvania (Thornburg airport). It was a business 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
FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A CONFINED AREA. FACTORS INCLUDE GUSTY WINDS AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thornton, Pennsylvania · Thornburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280 · all 280s on the register
- Registration
- N493H · no longer on the register · serial 1014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS TAKING OFF FROM A CONFINED AREA WITH ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD. THE PILOT REPORTED A POWER LOSS AT 40 FEET AGL AND MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO A DOWNWIND LANDING. THE FAA REPORTED THE HELICOPTER HIT A TREE AND LANDED HARD WITH DAMAGE TO TAIL ROTOR, TAIL BOOM AND MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THEY ALSO REPORTED THEY RAN THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH NO LOAD ON IT AND SAID IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THEY REPORTED THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE AND THERE WERE GUSTS AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 5,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,161 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1990; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°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.