19970328003999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes TH55A · Cullman, AL · March 28, 1997

Date: March 28, 1997 · 16:45 local
Place: Cullman, AL
Airport: Folsom Field Airport
Phase of flight: Scud Running
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N818D
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA97LA103
Reported as: Hughes TH55A
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO360B1A
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,287 total

N818DRegistration cancelled Mar 26, 2013 · Hughes TH-55S/N 6716818 · Built 1967 Airframe modelHughes TH-55 Engine modelLycoming HIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Engine quit near airport. Too low and slow for autorotation according to CFI. Shos engine running. Rotor decay. (-23) on March 28, 1997 at 16:45 CST a Hughes TH-55, N818D, impacted the ground immediately following the sound of engine overspeed. The flight was a local instructional flight. The CFI was thomas j hut 417626461, the student was shannon p band, DD1440925. The CFI stated that the engine quit. The damage to the aircraft showed no evidence of rotational damage. The CFI was seriously injured. No evidence of aircraft malfunction could be found.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE QUIT NEAR AIRPORT. TOO LOW AND SLOW FOR AUTOROTATION ACCORDING TO CFI. SHOS ENGINE RUNNING. ROTOR DECAY. (-23) ON MARCH 28, 1997 AT 16:45 CST A HUGHES TH-55, N818D, IMPACTED THE GROUND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SOUND OF ENGINE OVERSPEED. THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE CFI WAS THOMAS J HUT 417626461, THE STUDENT WAS SHANNON P BAND, DD1440925. THE CFI STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE CFI WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. NO EVIDENCE OF AIRCRAFT MALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA97LA103Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCullman, ALa loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. Factors in this accident were: an improper autorotation as a result of improper collective use and resulting failure to maintain main…Mar 28, 1997 · Substantial damage