# Accident 19980427007849A: Hughes 269C, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 27, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 27, 1998, 10:46 local time
- Place: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Airport: Isla Grande Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Prw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.4663° N, 66.1057° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Juan, PR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4663&lon=-66.1057&mi=10
- Aircraft: N61193, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61193-2015-05-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 513 total, 95 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA065) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980427007849A

## Narrative

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

CARGO STRAP BLEW OUT OF BAGGAGE CONTAINER AND WRAPPED AROUND TAIL ROTOR. DAMAGE PITCH LINKS AND GEAR BOX. SPUN IN. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE PILOT HAD A CARGO STRAP IN AN EXTERNAL BASKET WHICH BLEW OUT OF THE CONTAINER AND WRAPPED AROUND THE TAIL ROTOR, DAMAGING THE PITCH CHANGE LINKS, AND THE 90 DEGREE GEARBOX.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HOVER DURING A RUN ON LANDING, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SPINNING AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HEARD A BANG, AND THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE ANTI-TORQUE ROTOR PEDALS.  PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT, MADE A 360 DEGREE TURN, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP. PILOT'S FLIGHT MANUAL STATES THAT IN THE EVENT OF A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE, A PILOT SHOULD ENTER AUTOROTATION. THE FAA'S ADVISORY CIRCULAR 61-13B STATES THAT DURING THE RUN ON LANDING PROCEDURE, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL SHOULD BE MAINTAINED WITH CYCLIC CONTROL AND BY APPLYING THROTTLE TO SWING THE NOSE TO THE RIGHT. ONE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO HOVER DURING A RUN ON LANDING BECAUSE IT PUTS THE HELICOPTER AT A HIGH POWER SETTING.  AUTOROTATION SHOULD BE USED IF THE TAIL ROTOR FAILURE OCCURS DURING A HOVER OR IF                                    DANGEROUS ATTITUDES ARE INCURRED THROUGH THE ADDITION OF POWER. (-23)IMPROPER PILOT PROCEDURE DURIN THE EMERGENCY LANDING CAUSED THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND WITH A FAILED TAIL ROTOR. SEE ATTACHMENT ALT98LA065

## 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 ATL98LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA065), Apr 27, 1998: Schweizer 269C (N61193), San Juan, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adequately secure the cargo strap which became entangled in the tail rotor, leading to a loss of the tail rotor control. This was followed by an improperly executed emergency…

## Other reports on N61193 (1)

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

- [Accident 20050319009599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050319009599A), Mar 19, 2005: Hughes 269C (N61193), Leet, WV, Substantial damage. (-23) NTSB metallurgist reports what appears to be progressive cracking on the aft end of the main rotor transmission pinion which was found fractured post…

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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