# Accident 19970810025839A: Hughes 269A, Dandridge, TN, August 10, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 10, 1997, 17:13 local time
- Place: Dandridge, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0196° N, 83.4100° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0196&lon=-83.4100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7050D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7050D) (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 HIO360B1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 855 total, 125 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970810025839A

## Narrative

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

LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECT. TOO LOW AUTOROTATION. CUT IGNITION FELL TO GROUND. (-23) DURING TRANSITION FROM FLIGHT TO HOVER FOR LANDING, PILOT APPLIED MORE POWER THAN HE HAD TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY TO COUNTERACT. HELICOPTER LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ROTATED TO THE GROUND.

## 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 ATL97LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA114), Aug 10, 1997: Hughes 269A (N7050D), Dandridge, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to properly plan the approach for landing, which led to a loss of tail rotor authority and directional control, while close to the ground. The tailwind was a related factor.

## Other reports on N7050D (1)

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

- [Incident 19930420016759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930420016759I), Apr 20, 1993: Hughes 269A (N7050D), Caldwell, NJ. While hover taxiing to active runway pilot experienced radio failure. Returned to ramp.

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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