# Incident 19961104034519I: Hughes 369FF, Flagstaff, AZ, November 4, 1996

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 4, 1996, 08:23 local time
- Place: Flagstaff, AZ
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2295° N, 111.7206° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2295&lon=-111.7206&mi=10
- Aircraft: N630N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N630N) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369F (registry code 4470708, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47 series (registry code 54235, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369FF
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA034) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961104034519I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: WHILE PERFORMING FLIGHT TESTS ON A PROTO-TYPE MD630N AT FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA, THE PILOT ENTERED THE NINTH (9TH) AUTO-ROTATION OF THE DAY AND MADE AN AUTO-ROTATION RUNNING TOUCH-DOWN ON A PAVED SURFACE. AS THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED WITH THE VEHICLE STILL SLIDING. (200 FT. APPROX.) AND HAVING FORWARD GROUND SPEED, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DIVERTED AFT AND CONTACTED THE NOTAM TAIL CONE SEVERING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE APPROX. SIXTY PERCENT AFT OF FUSELAGE ATTACHING POINTS. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED SLIDING FORWARD SLOWING DOWN DRAGGING THE SEVERED TAIL SECTION AND MAKING A 180 DEGREE TURN COMING TO REST ON THE RUNWAY. THE SOLE OCCUPANT, THE TEST PILOT, WAS NOT INJURED AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THIS REPORT IS CLOSED. THIS REPORT DOES NOT INVOLVE AN NMAC REPORT. FAA FORM 8020-11 NOT RECEIVED FROM AT. THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE A PILOT DEVIATION REPORT BY AT.

## 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 LAX97LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA034), Nov 4, 1996: McDonnell Douglas MD-600 (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: An uncommanded main rotor blade to tail boom contact due to a 'blowback' phenomena after a successful preplanned autorotation by the pilot to a high density altitude airport with a test aircraft…

## Other reports on N630N (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20040212001669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040212001669A), Feb 12, 2004: Hughes 369FF (N630N), Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Mister turchetta a test pilot for MD helicopters was giving a turkish police officer dual instruction in N630N a MD 600 (MD369FF) prior to their…
- [Accident 19961121039479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961121039479A), Nov 21, 1996: Hughes 369FF (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, Substantial damage. High velocity autorotations test. Impacted runway. Bent seperated skids. Began test too low. Low airspeed. Weight.

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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