Enstrom F28A accident near Meriden, Connecticut, August 27, 1993
On August 27, 1993 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Enstrom F28A (helicopter), registered N269Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meriden, Connecticut (Meriden-Markham airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1993 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Meriden, Connecticut · Meriden-Markham
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28A · all F28As on the register
- Registration
- N269Q · no longer on the register · serial 294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. DURING THE MANEUVER THE ENGINE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD, BECAME AIRBORNE, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM AND SEPARATED THE BOOM FROM THE FUSELAGE. A TEST RUN PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 627 hours in all; 372 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 561 as pilot in command; 305 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,691 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMK at 8:00 pm
- Destination: MMK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°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.