Enstrom F28 N65RS accident near Riverton, Utah

Probable cause

The noncertificated pilot’s decision to operate a deregistered helicopter, which resulted in a component failure and subsequent loss of control and hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the lack of recent maintenance on the helicopter.

NTSB analysis

The noncertificated pilot, who hadn’t flown “in years,” flew the helicopter to relocate it to another part of his property. The helicopter, which was not registered, and did not have an airworthiness certificate, had been stored outside and had not been maintained during the past 4 years. During the approach to land, the left-side tail rotor control cable was struck by the tail rotor, likely due to the prolonged lack of maintenance, which resulted in a loss of control. The pilot subsequently lowered the collective to land, and the main rotor blades struck a tree in the descent, and the helicopter landed hard.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR20TA039 for the full record.