# Accident 19991213041769A: Hughes 269C, Salina, KS, December 13, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 13, 1999, 14:35 local time
- Place: Salina, KS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8101° N, 97.6110° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8101&lon=-97.6110&mi=10
- Aircraft: N58408, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N58408-2006-07-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,503 total, 112 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI00LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991213041769A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. HE STATED THAT HE BEGAN THE PRACTICE AUTOROTATION BY '...LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE ALL THE WAY AND REDUCING THE THROTTLE SETTING TO A POINT WHERE THE ENGINE RPM AND ROTOR RPM NEEDLES SPLIT.  I VERIFIED THAT THE NEEDLES SPLIT, BUT SOMETHING DIDN'T FEEL NORMAL.'  THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABANDON THE MANEUVER AND ADDED POWER TO RECOVER.  THE PILOT STATED: 'AS BEST I CAN REMEMBER, THE ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM NEEDLES HAD SYNCRONIZED AND WERE AT APPROXIMATELY THE RIGHT CLOCK POSITION ON THE TACH FACE.'  THE PILOT SAID THAT AT THIS TIME HE WAS '...BECOMING AWARE OF AN EXTREMELY HIGH DESCENT RATE.' THE PILOT FLIGHT MANUAL FOR THE AIRCRAFT DECRIBES THE PROCEDURE FOR PRACTICE AUTOROTATION AS FOLLOWS: 'SPLIT THE NEEDLES BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE WHILE MAINTAINING THROTTLE SETTING.  THE THROTTLE CORRELATION WILL ESTABLISH A HIGH IDLE RPM (APPROXIMATELY 2000 RPM) WHICH WILL AID IN PREVENTING THE ENGINE FROM LOADING UP OR STALLING DURING RECOVERY.  NO APPARENT PREEXISTING ANOMALIES WERE DETECTED WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRCRAFT OR SYSTEMS.  THE PILOT LISTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT.                                                  (-23)ON DECEMBER 13, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 2115, A HUGHES-269C, N58408, REGISTERED TO BBC INC, WAS PRACTICING AN AUTOROTATION FOUR MILES SOUTH OF SALINA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION PREVAILED AT THE TIME.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FARMER'S WHEAT FIELD, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DMAAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER.  INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SIGHT REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HEADING WAS TO THE NORTH, NORTH WEST.  THE PIC HOLDS AN ATP CERTIFICATE WITH AIRPLANE/MULTIENGINE, ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER/COMMERCIAL PILOT, CFI, CFII RATINGS.  THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER CFR-14 PART 91 OPERATION.

## 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 CHI00LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA044), Dec 13, 1999: Hughes 269C (N58408), Salina, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the published practice autorotation procedures, the improper use of throttle, and the inadequate flare.

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.