# Accident 19900510015639A: Hughes 369E, Firebaugh, CA, May 10, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 10, 1990, 18:00 local time
- Place: Firebaugh, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: CUCL
- Location: 36.8500° N, 120.5407° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8500&lon=-120.5407&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5217N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5217N-1996-06-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369E
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,372 total, 1,045 in this make and model, 63 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900510015639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

COMPRESSOR SECTION FAILED AFTER PLACING LOAD. DROPPED LINE. AUTOROTATED TO HARD LANDING. ROTORS CHOPPED TAILBOOM.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX90LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA171), May 11, 1990: Hughes 369E (N5217N), Firebaugh, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE TO PERFORM A MANDATORY COMPRESSOR SECTION INSPECTION THAT RESULTED IN THE UNDETECTED EROSION OF THE COMPRESSOR VANES AND ENGINE FAILURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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