Enstrom 280FX accident near Waterford, California, March 15, 2025
On March 15, 2025 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2006 Enstrom 280FX (helicopter), registered N402TA, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Waterford, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from water while operating at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2025 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waterford, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280FX, built 2006 · all 280FXs on the register
- Registration
- N402TA · no longer on the register · serial 2122
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness video showed the helicopter flying very low over a lake before it impacted the water. During postaccident interviews with news outlets, the pilot stated he and a passenger were flying the helicopter low over clear water, when his “depth perception got a little off”, and he drove the helicopter into the water. The helicopter fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor blades were substantially damaged. The pilot did not complete a NTSB Form 6120.1 Accident/Incident Report.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Water/moisture › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KMOD, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMOD 151753Z VRB04KT 10SM OVC042 12/07 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP217 T01220067 10122 20044 53013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25LA112.