Summary
On October 06, 1995, a Enstrom F28-280C (N51786) was involved in an incident near Blue Ash, OH. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The commercial pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during hover-taxi operations. Related factors the tailwind, the nearby obstacle, and the misjudged maneuver to avoid obstacles.
On October 6, 1995, at 1520 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F28-280C, N51786, registered to New Horizons Helicopters, Cincinnati, Ohio, collided with a unoccupied parked helicopter while hover taxiing prior to takeoff at Gallenstein Park Heliport, in Blue Ash, Ohio. The taxiing helicopter was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received no injuries. The unoccupied helicopter received minor damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that because of a small hangar to the left of the parked helicopter, a fence in front, and telephone poles and wires to the right, he planned to hover taxi aft, then turn left in order to takeoff.
This incident is documented in NTSB report BFO96LA003. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N51786.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the commercial pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during hover-taxi operations. Related factors the tailwind, the nearby obstacle, and the misjudged maneuver to avoid obstacles.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On October 6, 1995, at 1520 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F28-280C, N51786, registered to New Horizons Helicopters, Cincinnati, Ohio, collided with a unoccupied parked helicopter while hover taxiing prior to takeoff at Gallenstein Park Heliport, in Blue Ash, Ohio. The taxiing helicopter was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received no injuries. The unoccupied helicopter received minor damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that because of a small hangar to the left of the parked helicopter, a fence in front, and telephone poles and wires to the right, he planned to hover taxi aft, then turn left in order to takeoff. He noted that there was an unoccupied helicopter parked approximately sixty feet aft and right of N51786. The pilot stated that he thought he had enough room between the helicopters to hover taxi as planned. He reported that he "...picked N51786 up off it's cart. As [the taxi] was into a tailwind, I was paying a lot of attention to the windsock and maintaining course and RPM while taxiing in reverse. I forgot the other helicopter was parked behind...and backed into it...I start every afternoon the same way, from the same position, to report afternoon rush hour traffic. The difference today was the second helicopter." Winds were reported to be out of 230 degrees at 14 knots, with gusts to 22 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# BFO96LA003