# Accident 19990714009029A: Hughes 269C, Houston, TX, July 14, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 14, 1999, 21:51 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Airport: William P Hobby Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.6496° N, 95.2797° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6496&lon=-95.2797&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7491F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7491F-2021-07-20) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C - Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 300 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99TA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99TA190) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990714009029A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (TTY) HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC USE ACFT (1975 HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER) WAS INVOLVED IN NIGHT TRAINING WHEN THE ACFT LANDED HARD, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CUT OFF THE TAIL BOOM, AND THE LEFT REAR STRUT COLLAPSED. (.19) ON JULY 14, 1999, AT 2151 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER, N7491F, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING WHILE MANEUVERING AT THE HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT, NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS NOT INJURED AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FOR WHICH A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT ABOUT 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO PERSONNEL AT THE AIRPORT, THE HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING NIGHT TRAINING OPERATIONS AS PART OF THE NIGHT CHECK OUT FOR THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN CLEARED TO MANEUVER OUT OF GROUND EFFECT OVER THE GRASSY AREA BETWEEN TAXIWAY GOLF AND RUNWAY 17, ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE AFT FUSELAGE, SEVERING THE TAILBOOM. THE RIGHT REAR LANDING STRUT COLLAPSED; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER REMAINED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. (.4)DURING A NIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE DURING TAKEOFF. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE TOE OF THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SKID SANK INTO THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER MADE A 90 DEGREE TURN. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM OF THE HELICOPTER. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE MANEUVER WAS ENTERED BELOW THE RECOMMENDED AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS, AND CONSEQUENTLY A HIGH RATE OF SINK DEVELOPED DURING THE LANDING FLARE, WHICH THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION WAS UNABLE TO ARREST. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS REPORTED BY EITHER THE PILOT OR THE OPERATOR. (-23)THE PILOT IS ASSIGNED NIGHT PATROL FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE HELICOPTER DIVISION. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS COMMERICAL HELICOPTER RATING TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AS PART OF THE INITIAL AND CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS TH E DEPARTMENTS HAS, HE WAS DEMONSTRATING AUTOROTATIONS TO A LANDING. AFTER 12 TO 13 SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATIONS THE PILOT BOUNCED THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT, A HARD LANDING AND CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAIL BOOM, CUTTING IT OFF. ## 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 FTW99TA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99TA190), Jul 15, 1999: Hughes 269C (N7491F), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The hard landing as a result of the flight instructor's failure to attain the proper airspeed before simulating an engine failure, which resulted in the development of a high sink rate. Factors were… 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.