Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

December 31, 2019 · Enstrom F28 A · N57SJ

Danbury, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 31, 2019
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Danbury, TX
Aircraft
Enstrom F28 A (1975)
Tail Number
N57SJ
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN20LA051

The student pilot turned the helicopter onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern during a training flight when the engine suddenly began to run rough and lost partial power. The flight instructor took the controls and executed an autorotation into a clearing. The skids of the helicopter sank into the soft mud, the rotor blades contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. Examination of the engine revealed that a portion of the No. 3 cylinder intake valve had broken off and migrated into the No. 1 cylinder, where it lodged between the No. 1 cylinder's intake valve and seat, holding that valve in the open position and resulting in the partial loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause

The failure of the engine's No.3 intake valve resulting is a loss of engine power and a rollover following the autorotation to soft ground.

Full Narrative

On December 31, 2019, about 1415 central standard time, an Enstrom F28A helicopter, N57SJ, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. During the nose-over, the tailboom was separated and the main rotor system and fuselage were damaged. The student pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Salaika Aviation Airport (07TA), Danbury, Texas, at an unconfirmed time. The certificated flight instructor stated that he and his student had departed for a second pattern during a training mission. After the helicopter made the turn onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern the engine suddenly began to run rough and had lost a lot of power. He took the controls and executed an autorotation into a clearing, flared and touched down. The skids of the helicopter sunk into the soft mud, the rotor blades contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The operator reported that examination of the engine after the accident revealed that a portion of the intake valve for the No. 3 cylinder had broken off and had migrated into the No. 1 cylinder where it lodged between the No. 1 intake valve and seat, holding that valve in the open position.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:30 CST
Nearest AirportSalaika Aviation (1nm E)
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftEnstrom F28 A
Tail NumberN57SJ
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · HIO-360-C1A · Reciprocating · 205
Seats3

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 37 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind90° @ 3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 7500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point59 / 28 C
Altimeter30.20 inHg
Observation Time19:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data