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Atlas / NTSB / DEN87LA243

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event DEN87LA243

1987-09-27 LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, United States Airport · LRU None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N47RW

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 310

Engine

CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)

Seats / Engines

5 seats · 2 engines

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A5C04D

Registrant of record

BOYKO ALLEN L

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

A CFI AND A PRIVATE PLT WERE FERRYING A NEWLY PURCHASED HELICOPTER TO THEIR HOME AIRPORT. DURING A FUEL STOP, WHILE ON A VISUAL APPROACH, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 8000 FEET, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS AT OR NEAR MAX GROSS WT. THE PLT REPORTED ADDING ADDITIONAL COLLECTIVE PITCH TO TRY TO COUNTER A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING SOUNDED JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. A HARD LANDING WITH FORWARD AIRSPEED RESULTED. THE HELICOPTER NOSED OVER AND THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE TERRAIN, THEN SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED LEFT AND CAME TO REST ON THE LEFT SIDE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_DEN87LA243.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.