# Accident 19990310002129A: Hughes 269C, Laredo, TX, March 10, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 10, 1999, 09:10 local time - Place: Laredo, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Hovering - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.5097° N, 99.4992° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5097&lon=-99.4992&mi=10 - Aircraft: N36254, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36254-2021-08-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Schweizer HUGHES 269C (registry code 8059500, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C - Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 17,500 total, 8,000 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA092) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990310002129A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN IT LOST POWER AND CRASHED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON MARCH 10, 0910 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A SCHWEIZER HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER, N36254, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER WHILE AT A HOVER NEAR LAREDO, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATION (CFR) PART 91 LOCAL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY SMITH HELICOPTERS, INC. OF LAREDO, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTRACTED BY A RANCHER TO AID IN HERDING CATTLE. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AT A 50 FOOT HOVER OVER A CREEK WHEN HE HEARD "LOUD BANGING," FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT THEN TRIED TO APPLY FULL POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED A "RIGHT TURN AND SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN HARD IN THE CREEK." EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT BOTH LANDING SKIDS HAD SEPARATED, THE CENTER FRAME WAS TWISTED, THE BOTTOM OF THE CABIN NOSE WAS BENT, AND THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRACKSHAFT WOULD NOT ROTATE. (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS AT A 50-FOOT HOVER OVER A CREEK WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANGING, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED A RIGHT PEDAL TURN AND SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN HARD IN A CREEK. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS SEPARATED AT THE NUMBER 3 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL TO NUMBER 3 CONNECTING ROD JOURNAL CROSSOVER CHEEK. A MAGNAFLUX EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 3 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL DISPLAYED LATERAL CRACKS. EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT FRACTURE SURFACES REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE. THE FRACTURE FEATURES WERE DAMAGED NEAR THE ORIGIN AREA; HOWEVER, 'NEARBY CRACK ARREST POSITIONS CLEARLY INDICATED CRACK INITIATION FROM AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS ON THE JOURNAL SURFACE NEAR THE CRANK CHEEK.' EXAMINATION OF THE NUMBER 3 BEARING SHELL HALVES REVEALED THAT 'ONE SHELL HAD SHIFTED RELATIVE TO THE OTHER WHEN THE DAMAGE OCCURRED.' (-23)HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 65 FEET ABOVE GROUND. ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND HELICOPTER LOST POWER AND LANDED IN BRUSH. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES TO LANDING GEAR AND CABIN DECK. THE TAIL ROTOR WAS DESTROYED IN BUSH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE FROZE. THE ENGINE WAS SENT TO AVCO LYCOMING FOR TEAR DOWN. THERE WAS NO FIRE OR INJURIES. ## 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 FTW99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA092), Mar 10, 1999: Schweizer Hughes 269C (N36254), Laredo, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to a bearing shift, which resulted in fatigue cracking of the crankshaft and subsequent failure of the crankshaft. A factor was a lack of suitable terrain for the forced… ## Other reports on N36254 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20081231856849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081231856849A), Dec 31, 2008: Hughes 269C (N36254), Panama City Be, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated he was in a 50 ft hover looking at an alligator. He stated he was starting to pitch forward and pull in some power when he experienced an… 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.