Enstrom F-28C accident near Easton, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1990
On November 28, 1990 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28C (helicopter), registered N4953X, was destroyed in an accident near Easton, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE LEFT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF LATERAL CYCLIC CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INCOMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER FOLLOWING A HARD LANDING WITH A BLADE STRIKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1990 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Easton, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28C · all F-28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N4953X · no longer on the register · serial 469
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN CRUISE FLT THE HELICOPTER UNEXPECTEDLY ROLLED 90 DEGREES LEFT. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO A LANDING, ROLLING OVER UPON TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE INTERMEDIATE BELLCRANK FOR LATERAL CONTROL HAD FRACTURED. THE FRACTURE SURFACE BORE EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD AND FATIGUE. THE BELLCRANK WAS TIGHT IN THE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, THE RIGHT SIDE CABIN MOUNT BRACKET WHICH HOLD THE INTERMEDIATE BELLCRANK FOR FORE AND AFT CONTROL HAD A CRACK. THE FRACTURE SURFACE WAS TYPICAL OF OVERLOAD. THE HELICOPTER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A HARD LANDING WITH A BLADE STRIKE ON THE TAIL BOOM. NO RECORDS WERE AVAILABLE TO INDICATE THE REPAIRS CONDUCTED. ACCORDING TO ENSTROM HELICOPTERS, THESE FRACTURES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN FOLLOWING A BLADE STRIKE. ACCORDING TO AN ENSTROM HELICOPTERS SERVICE LETTER, '...CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE TORQUE TUBES, BELLCRANKS, AND FITTING...' ARE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS ITEMS FOLLOWING A BLADE STRIKE.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1990; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TTN Trenton NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.