What happened
On March 16, 2024, at approximately 16:45 central daylight time, an Enstrom 280C helicopter, registration N280WR, was involved in an accident near Port Lavaca, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
The pilot was attempting to reposition the aircraft from a residential front yard to a movable landing platform. While the helicopter was in a hover over the platform, it experienced a loss of engine power. As the aircraft settled, the right skid made contact with the platform, causing the helicopter to roll to the left. This motion resulted in the main rotor blades striking the ground.
The accident resulted in no injuries to the pilot. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the main rotor, tail rotor, tail boom, and stabilizers.