BANGOR, ME, USA
N292Q
ENSTROM F-28A
The helicopter collided with terrain during cruise flight at night over wooded terrain in conditions which the pilot described as 'no ground light or cellestial lights.' According to the pilot, he noticed a fast 'moving light coming from my left to right at what appeared to be my altitude.' He did an evasive manuever to avoid a collision, but in doing so he lost control of the helicopter which collided with underlying trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
On August 9, 1994, about 2130 eastern daylight time, an Enstrom F-28, N292Q, collided with terrain in a wooded area in Old Town, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The deparute point was Bar Harbor, Maine. The destination was Houlton, Maine. The local personal flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he was about 30 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 1500 feet (mean sea level) and a speed of 100 mph. He reported, "I was over wooded area where there were no lights at all, when all of a sudden I saw a fast moving light coming from left to my right at what appeared to be at my altitude." This really scared me and that is when all my trouble started. I may have put the helicopter into trouble by trying to avoid what I thought was going to hit me . . . After the object went in front of me, the helicopter became almost uncontrollable and the next thing I knew, I was crashing into the woods." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
The pilot's loss of aircraft control. Factors are dark night conditions, and the pilot's execution of an evasive maneuver.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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