# Accident 19960516011459A: Hughes 500N, Oklahoma City, OK, May 16, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 16, 1996, 15:00 local time
- Place: Oklahoma City, OK
- Airport: Wiley Post Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Idling Rotors
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.5001° N, 97.6409° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5001&lon=-97.6409&mi=10
- Aircraft: N520DD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N520DD-1997-06-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N (registry code 3027374, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-500n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 500N
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20R2
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 7 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96TA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96TA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960516011459A

## Narrative

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

EVALUATION FAA CHECK FLIGHT. DURING SPOOL DOWN AND PARKING. WIND GUSTS CAUSED ROTORS TO COME DOWN. STRUCK TAILBOOM. (-23) THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED A ONE HOUR, DAY, VFR FLIGHT FOR CURRENCY AND PROFICIENCY. THE WIND WAS CONFIRMED AT 22 KNOTS WITH GUSTS ESTIMATED TO EXCEED 30 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS POSITIONED HEADING NORTH AND ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF A ROW OF T HANGERS RUNNING EAST AND WEST. THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE TOP AND AROUND THE EAST SIDE OF THE T HANGERS WAS HITTING THE ROTOR DISC FROM THE TOP AND FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS HIGH RATE AND UNUSUAL DIRECTION OF THE WIND CONTRIBUTED TO THE BLADES FLEXING AS THE ROTOR SYSTEM SLOWED. WITH THE REDUCED AMOUNT OF VERTICAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ROTATING BLADES AND THE EMPENNAGE (COMPARED TO THE 500 SERIES HELICOPTER WITH THE STANDARD ANTI TORQUE SYSTEM) THE BLADE FLEXING DOWNWARD STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE.

## 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 FTW96TA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96TA222), May 16, 1996: McDonnell Douglas MD-520N (N520DD), Bethany, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The main rotor blades' contact with the tail boom due to gusting winds during rotor deceleration.

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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