# Accident 19980731019149A: Hughes 269A, Salina, KS, July 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 31, 1998, 12:40 local time
- Place: Salina, KS
- Airport: Salina Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8095° N, 97.6109° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8095&lon=-97.6109&mi=10
- Aircraft: N101KT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N101KT-2000-02-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360B1A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,349 total, 15 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA293) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980731019149A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER WAS WORKING TRAFFIC TO WEST SOD PRACTICE AREA AND WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND AT APPROXIMATELY 300 AGL, CALLED MAYDAY AND CRASHED JUST OUTSIDE AIRPORT PROPERTY, SALINA, KS/ (.4) THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A TEST FLIGHT AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 50 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION DURING WHICH HE TURNED TO MISS OBSTACLES. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE FUEL PUMP CONTAINED CORROSION. THE FUEL INJECTOR CONTAINED A WHITE POWDERY SUBSTANCE IN MOST EVERY PORT. THE FUEL INJECTOR FINGER SCREEN WAS ALSO CORRODED. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING OUT OF WEST SOD PRACTICE AREA. WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND AT APPROXIMATELY 300 AGL, CALLED "MAYDAY" AND CRASHED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION JUST OUTSIDE AIRPORT PROPERTY. PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. PILOT REPORTED ENGINE FAILURE.

## 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 CHI98LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA293), Jul 31, 1998: Hughes 269A (N101KT), Salina, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: inadequate maintenance which failed to detect corrosion in the fuel injector system and the fuel pump. Factors related to the accident were the low altitude and airspeed at which the loss of engine…

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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