# Accident 19990823013339A: Hughes 269B, Russellvile, AR, August 23, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 1999, 11:30 local time
- Place: Russellvile, AR
- Airport: Russellville Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2708° N, 93.1394° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2708&lon=-93.1394&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44KH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44KH-2017-07-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269B (registry code 4470502, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA234) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990823013339A

## Narrative

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

1966 HUGHES 269B HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AFTER TAKE-OFF, CAME BACK DOWN, AND LANDED HARD, THE ACFT THEN SPUN AROUND AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) AT APPROX. 1130 LOCAL TIME N44KH IMPACTED THE EARTH. THE PIC STATED THAT DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TERMINATING WITH POWER, THE POWER SOURCE FAILED UPON REDUCING THE COLLECTIVE AND THROTTLE. THE A/C CONTINUED    AUTOROTATION AND DURING THE DECELERATION PHASE OF THE AUTOROTATION THE A/C IMPACTED THE EARTH IN A STRAIGHT, NOSE HIGH POSITION. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THE A/C IMPACTED THE EARTH AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DESCENT. WITH THE SUDDEN EXCESSIVE EARTH IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN, SEVERINGTHE TAIL BOOM APPROX. TWO FEET FORWARD OF THE NINTY DEGREE GEAR BOX.. THE A/C SPUN LEFT APPROX. 160 DEGREES COMING TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. AN ENGINE RUN WAS COMPLETED WITH NO DUPLICATION OF FAILURE. THE ENGINE, WITH RAPID THROTTLE REDUCTION, IDLED ERRATICALLY.

## 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 FTW99LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA234), Aug 23, 1999: Hughes 269B (N44KH), Russellville, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper touchdown by the flight instructor.

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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