# Accident 19990625007749A: Hughes OH6A, Murrells Inlet, SC, June 25, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 25, 1999, 18:35 local time
- Place: Murrells Inlet, SC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5509° N, 79.0502° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5509&lon=-79.0502&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6247A (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES OH6A
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C10D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,120 total, 56 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA189) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990625007749A

## Narrative

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

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A LOCAL TV NEWS HELICOPTER (1965 HUGHES OH-6A) WAS FLYING LOW, TURNED, AND CRASHED INTO A MARSH, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4) THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A 4-TO 6-FOOT HOVER ABOVE THE MARSH'S SURFACE, MANEUVERING FOR FILM SHOOTING. THE PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN CLOCKWISE DESPITE HIS APPLYING FULL LEFT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL. INCREASING COLLECTIVE DID NOT REMEDY THE UNCOMMANDED YAWING, SO HE LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND POWER, AND SETTLED INTO THE MARSH, COLLAPSING THE LEFT SKID AND THE THREE OCCUPIED SEATS. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED BY A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKE. WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 15 KNOTS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER'S FLIGHT CONTROLS, STRUCTURE, OR ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM.                 (-23)ON JUNE 25, 1999, AT 1830 EDT, A HUGHES 369-OH6A CRASHED AT MURRELLS INLET, SC.  THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE MARSH WATER, IN A LEFT SKID DOWN ATTITUDE AND CAME TO REST IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET OF WATER AT HIGH TIDE.  THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE ON IMPACT SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.  THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM MYRTLE BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MYR) , MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR EARLIER. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, THE TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR 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 MIA99LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA189), Jun 25, 1999: Boeing HU-369-OH6A (N6247A), Murrells Inlet, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: An inflight loss of control due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness as a result of the pilot's inadequate compensation for the winds and improper weather evaluation.

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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