# Accident 19960624015059A: Hughes 369HE, Las Cruces, NM, June 24, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 24, 1996, 09:00 local time
- Place: Las Cruces, NM
- Airport: Las Cruces International Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.2800° N, 106.7494° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2800&lon=-106.7494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N521TC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N521TC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369HE (registry code 4470720, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369he) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HE
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C18B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 240 total, 120 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA274) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960624015059A

## Narrative

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

DURING HOVER ON LANDING. TAIL ROTOR STRUCK CHAIN LINK FENCE. SEPARATED. CHOPPER SPUN. LANDED, ONE SKID ROLLED OVER. (-23) ON JUNE 24, 1996 AT 0600 HELICOPTER N521TC DEPARTED GLOBE, ARIZ ENROUTE TO LOS CRUSES, NM. ON LANDING AT LRU THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALMOST ON THE GROUND WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR HIT A CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROTATE AND BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND ROTATED VERY FAST. THE PILOT HAGEL WERNER PUSHED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH FULL DOWN. THE HELICOPTER HIT RAMP HARD, BROKE LEFT SKID OFF AND ROLLED ON IT'S SIDE WHICH DESTROYED TAIL BOOM & ROTOR HEAD.

## 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 FTW96LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA274), Jun 24, 1996: Hughes 369HE (N521TC), Las Cruces, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the tail rotor and a fence while hovering.

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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