# Accident 19970501007369A: Hughes 269A, Lake Wales, FL, May 1, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 1, 1997, 17:00 local time - Place: Lake Wales, FL - Airport: Lake Wales Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.9004° N, 81.5799° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9004&lon=-81.5799&mi=10 - Aircraft: N37754, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N37754-2023-01-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A - Reported engine: LYC HIO360A1A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA067) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970501007369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HELICOPTER PRACTICING AUTO ROTATIONS, UNABLE TO RECOVER, ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND, CRASHED. (.4)THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS DEMONSTRATING A 180 DEGREE TURN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY. THE CFI ENTERED THE MANEUVER APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ABOUT 3/4 THROUGH THE 180 DEGREE TURN, HE NOTICED THAT THE ROTOR SPEED WAS LOW. WHEN THE CFI DECIDED TO RETURN THE THROTTLE TO FULL POWER, THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE. THE CFI CONTINUED THE APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING ON THE HEEL OF THE LEFT SKID, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLING OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM OR A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. DURING A FUNCTIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE, IT OPERATED BETWEEN IDLE AND A MODERATED POWER RANGE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME DISCLOSED THAT THE SKIDS WERE SPREAD, AND THE LANDING GEAR DAMPER ASSEMBLY WAS FRACTURED. ACCORDING TO FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR, AC 61-13A, DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF AN AUTOROTATION, THE CYCLIC CONTROL SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. THE ADVISORY CIRCULAR ALSO STATED THAT 'IF A LANDING IS TO BE MADE, ALLOW TH E HELICOPTER TO DESCEND VERTICALLY. APPLY COLLECTIVE PITCH SMOOTHLY TO CHECK THE DESCENT AND CUSHION THE LANDING.' (-23)ON MAY 1, 1997, AT 1700 EDT,A HUGHES 269A HELICOPTER, N37754, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE INCREASE DURING A POWER RECOVERY FROM A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION NEAR LAKE WALES, FLORIDA. THE TRAINING FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE TWO PILOTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT'S EXACT DEPARTURE TIME FROM LAKE WALES, FLORIDA, WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE PILOT STATED THAT, HWNE HE APPLIED THROTTLE TO RECOVER FROM THE AUTOROTATIVE DESCENT, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT; HE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ROTOR SPEED HAD DECAYED. THE HEICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND ROLLED OVER. ## 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 ATL97LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA067), May 1, 1997: Hughes 269A (N37754), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s); and the flight instructor's improper flare and improper use of the flight controls, while flaring for an autorotative landing. ## Other reports on N37754 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20120919022539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120919022539A), Sep 19, 2012: Hughes 269A (N37754), Mccool Junction, NE, Substantial damage. While performing practice auto-rotations the engine quit on descent. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter and landed hard causing rotors to… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.