On May 14, 1998, an Enstrom F28 (registration N86238) operated by Oliver's Helicopters was involved in an aviation accident near West Chicago, IL. 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.
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.