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Helicopter Damaged in Hard Landing and Roll Over at DuPage Airport (N86238)

West Chicago, IL, US

On May 14, 1998, an Enstrom F28 (registration N86238) operated by Oliver's Helicopters was involved in an aviation accident near West Chicago, IL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student pilot attempting a tailwind landing and improper compensation for the wind resulting in too high of a sink rate and the hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter was substantially damaged after a hard landing and subsequent roll over during a positioning flight at DuPage Airport. The solo student pilot was practicing touch-and-goes when the incident occurred.

Incident Overview

A helicopter was substantially damaged during a hard landing and subsequent roll over while conducting a positioning flight at DuPage Airport. The solo student pilot had been practicing touch-and-goes on runway 19L before requesting clearance to a Fixed Base Operator located near runway 33.

Weather Conditions

Reported weather, taken after the accident, recorded winds from 140 degrees at 9 knots.

Pilot Statement

The pilot stated, "As I started to land, I know I had gotten myself in a bad situation when I realized my rate of descent was just over 500 FPM with slow forward airspeed."

Damage

The helicopter sustained substantial damage as a result of the hard landing and roll over.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X10022. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.