Enstrom 280C accident near Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, June 9, 1993
On June 9, 1993 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N51739, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glen Mills, Pennsylvania (Glen Mills airport). It was a personal 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 IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH IN WHICH THE FLARE WAS NOT ATTAINED, AND WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1993 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Glen Mills, Pennsylvania · Glen Mills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51739 · registry record · serial 1141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED AN APPROACH TO A GRASS FIELD. WHEN HE APPLIED POWER TO FLARE, HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE DESCENT AND MADE A HARD LANDING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CUT THE TAIL BOOM OFF OF THE HELICOPTER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER BY THE FAA FAILED TO FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 171 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,213 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 2, 1993; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Newark DE at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N51739 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.