20000416005069A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369A · Athens, GA · April 16, 2000

Date: April 16, 2000 · 11:15 local
Place: Athens, GA
Airport: Athens/Ben Epps Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N992CH
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA00LA135
Reported as: Hughes 369A

N992CHRegistration cancelled Mar 24, 2023 · Hughes 369A (OH-6A)S/N 380346 Airframe modelHughes 369A (OH-6A)Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot tucker states that his a/c was the last of three helicopters which were cleared to land as a flight of 3 at the Athens, GA bush field airport. The Hughes 369A was following a UH-1 and an AH-1 to land on the grass infield at the airport. During the approach and whil in a decelerating attitude, decending through about 100 ft. the oilot states that a "loss of power" became evident but that there were no visual or aural warnings evident in the cock[it. Pilot states that increased collective pull did not arrest the rate of descent and N2 was decreasing. Pilot states that he lowered the collective at about 50 ft. to preserve N2 and told the other pilot (brady) that he had had a power loss. Pilot states that he was able to level the a/c and complete an auto rotation to a hard touchdown. Upon touchdown the pilot states that he had to perform an emergency shutdown of a/c engine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT TUCKER STATES THAT HIS A/C WAS THE LAST OF THREE HELICOPTERS WHICH WERE CLEARED TO LAND AS A FLIGHT OF 3 AT THE ATHENS, GA BUSH FIELD AIRPORT. THE HUGHES 369A WAS FOLLOWING A UH-1 AND AN AH-1 TO LAND ON THE GRASS INFIELD AT THE AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH AND WHIL IN A DECELERATING ATTITUDE, DECENDING THROUGH ABOUT 100 FT. THE OILOT STATES THAT A "LOSS OF POWER" BECAME EVIDENT BUT THAT THERE WERE NO VISUAL OR AURAL WARNINGS EVIDENT IN THE COCK[IT. PILOT STATES THAT INCREASED COLLECTIVE PULL DID NOT ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT AND N2 WAS DECREASING. PILOT STATES THAT HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AT ABOUT 50 FT. TO PRESERVE N2 AND TOLD THE OTHER PILOT (BRADY) THAT HE HAD HAD A POWER LOSS. PILOT STATES THAT HE WAS ABLE TO LEVEL THE A/C AND COMPLETE AN AUTO ROTATION TO A HARD TOUCHDOWN. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT STATES THAT HE HAD TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN OF A/C ENGINE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA00LA135Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAthens, GAthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting in his misjudging the flare and a subsequent hard landing. Factors in this accident were, the pilot's inadequate planned approach in trail of two heavier helicopters, a crosswind landing…Apr 16, 2000 · Substantial damage