What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter was working cattle when it lost power. (.4) after positioning the helicopter for takeoff (where he had successfully operated the helicopter from on previous occasions), the pilot attempted a confined area take offover a stand of trees. The pilot stated that he had to 'lift straight up to clear the trees.' Upon reaching a hover just above the tree tops, the pilot 'felt power bleeding off so [he] nosed over trying to get airspeed.' He could not 'get any airspeed', so he turned toward a narrow clearing using 'right pedal' and reduced collective to 'make a run on landing.' Upon ground contact, the right skid dug into the rain soaked ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side blades. After the accident, the pilot reported that it had been raining for 1 1/2 days prior to the accident and that it was 'hot and muggy' on the morning of the accident. He estimated the temperature to be about 95 degrees with 'high humidity and no wind.' He also stated that he did not believe he had any type of mechanical failure and that the engine seemed to be performing normally. He felt that the density altitude, gross weight, and the out of ground effect operation all contributed to the accident. The approximate elevation in the area of the accident is 941 feet MSL. (-23) on August 7, 1998 at approximately 09:15 central daylight time, a Hughes 269B helicopter, N9425F, operated by a private individual crash landed shortly after takeoff from a pasture approximately 7 miles north northeast of Uvalde, Texas. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured. The aircraft sustained major damage. The pilot reported that during a confined area takeoff over a line of trees approximately 30 feet in height the helicopter rotor speed slowed to the point where he could not sustain flight. He attempted to land in a small clearing ahead and to the right but upon touchdown, the right skid dug into the soft mud/dirt causing the helicopter to flip over coming to rest on its left side. The pilot stated that the engine was performing normally and he did not believe he had any type of mechanical failure. He estimated 25-30 gallons of fuel remained at the time of the accident. He also estimated the temperature at 90 degrees with high humidity and no wind.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER WAS WORKING CATTLE WHEN IT LOST POWER. (.4) AFTER POSITIONING THE HELICOPTER FOR TAKEOFF (WHERE HE HAD SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED THE HELICOPTER FROM ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS), THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A CONFINED AREA TAKE OFFOVER A STAND OF TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TO 'LIFT STRAIGHT UP TO CLEAR THE TREES.' UPON REACHING A HOVER JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS, THE PILOT 'FELT POWER BLEEDING OFF SO [HE] NOSED OVER TRYING TO GET AIRSPEED.' HE COULD NOT 'GET ANY AIRSPEED', SO HE TURNED TOWARD A NARROW CLEARING USING 'RIGHT PEDAL' AND REDUCED COLLECTIVE TO 'MAKE A RUN ON LANDING.' UPON GROUND CONTACT, THE RIGHT SKID DUG INTO THE RAIN SOAKED GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE BLADES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT HAD BEEN RAINING FOR 1 1/2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THAT IT WAS 'HOT AND MUGGY' ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ESTIMATED THE TEMPERATURE TO BE ABOUT 95 DEGREES WITH 'HIGH HUMIDITY AND NO WIND.' HE ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE HAD ANY TYPE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE AND THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE PERFORMING NORMALLY. HE FELT THAT THE DENSITY ALTITUDE, GROSS WEIGHT, AND THE OUT OF GROUND EFFECT OPERATION ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE ELEVATION IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT IS 941 FEET MSL. (-23) ON AUGUST 7, 1998 AT APPROXIMATELY 09:15 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 269B HELICOPTER, N9425F, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL CRASH LANDED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF UVALDE, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A CONFINED AREA TAKEOFF OVER A LINE OF TREES APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET IN HEIGHT THE HELICOPTER ROTOR SPEED SLOWED TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULD NOT SUSTAIN FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL CLEARING AHEAD AND TO THE RIGHT BUT UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT SKID DUG INTO THE SOFT MUD/DIRT CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO FLIP OVER COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY AND HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE HAD ANY TYPE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE. HE ESTIMATED 25-30 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO ESTIMATED THE TEMPERATURE AT 90 DEGREES WITH HIGH HUMIDITY AND NO WIND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9425F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.