Enstrom F-28F accident near Haines, Alaska, July 13, 1988
On July 13, 1988 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28F (helicopter), registered N8620C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Haines, Alaska (Haines 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1988 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Haines, Alaska · Haines Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28F · all F-28Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8620C · registry record · serial 706
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PURCHASED THE HELICOPTER WITH AN UNDOCUMENTED MODIFICATION DESIGNED TO RESTRAIN THE COLLECTIVE. REPORTEDLY, HERECEIVED NO GUIDANCE REGARDING THE USE OF THE COLLECTIVE HOLD-DOWN DEVICE. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER THERE EXISTED NO ENSTROM APPROVED COLLECTIVE HOLD-DOWN DEVICES OTHER THAN THE INSTALLED FRICTION LOCK. AFTER ENGINE START THE PILOT USED TWO HANDS TO RELEASE THE COLLECTIVE FRICTION. THE ENSTROM F28 'BEFORE TAKEOFF' CHECKLIST WARNS PILOTS TO 'KEEP HAND ON COLLECTIVE AND MAINTAIN DOWN POSITION WHEN (COLLECTIVE) LOCK IS DISENGAGED', AFTER RELEASING THE LOCK THE PILOT SAID THE COLLECTIVE SPRUNG TO THE FULL UP POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RELIED ON THE MODIFICATION, A COLLECTIVE HOLD-DOWN CHAIN, TO KEEP THE COLLECTIVE SECURE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 1988; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HTIO-360-F1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JNU Juneau AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from HNS
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.