# Accident 20000416005069A: Hughes 369A, Athens, GA, April 16, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 16, 2000, 11:15 local time
- Place: Athens, GA
- Airport: Athens/Ben Epps Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9997° N, 83.3396° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9997&lon=-83.3396&mi=10
- Aircraft: N992CH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N992CH-2023-03-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369A (OH-6A) (registry code 4470506, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369a-oh-6a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369A
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA135) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000416005069A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 MIA00LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA135), Apr 16, 2000: Hughes OH-6A (N992CH), Athens, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the 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…

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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