# Accident 19990622007449A: Hughes 369D, Shelton, WA, June 22, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 22, 1999, 13:50 local time
- Place: Shelton, WA
- Airport: Sanderson Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: GILA
- Location: 47.2336° N, 123.1476° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SANDERSON FLD (SHN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2336&lon=-123.1476&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1089Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1089Y-2020-08-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990622007449A

## Narrative

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

1981 HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AND WAS DESTROYED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LOW-LEVEL AUTOROTATIONS TO THE GRASSY INFIELD OF THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SECOND PRACTICE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO INITIATE THE MANUEVER FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX. 200 FEET AGL AND AIRSPEED OF 50 KNOTS. HE PULLED SUFFICIENT PITCH TO MAINTAIN MIMIMUM ROTOR RPM TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE. UPIN INITIATION OF A POWER RECOVERY, THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROX. A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID DUG INTO THE SIDE OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH AND THE A/C ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME TO A REST APPROX. 80 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 SEA99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA092), Jun 22, 1999: Hughes 369D (N1089Y), Shelton, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM during an autorotation.

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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