# Accident 20001204024669A: Hughes 269C, Carlsbad, CA, December 4, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2000, 13:30 local time
- Place: Carlsbad, CA
- Airport: Mcclellan-Palomar
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1300° N, 117.2991° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1300&lon=-117.2991&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1097N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1097N-2002-06-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA053) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001204024669A

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING A POWER-OFF TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION, THE A/C LANDED HARD WITH EXCESSIVE TAIL-LOW ATTITUDE AND LOW ROTOR RPM. THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE A/C LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ROLLED OVER. (.4) ON DECEMBER 4, 2000, ABOUT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES 269C, N1097N, OPERATED BY CIVIC HELICOPTERS, INC., CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, LANDED HARD AT THE MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR AIRPORT, IN CARLSBAD. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NEITHER THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT, WHO HELD A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE, NOR THE PILOT WHO WAS RECEIVING A CHECKOUT WERE INJURED. THE TRAINING FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM CARLSBAD ABOUT 1300. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO OBSERVE THE SKILL LEVEL OF THE SECOND PILOT, AND TO PROVIDE ANY NEEDED INSTRUCTION. THE CFI ASSIGNED THE SECOND PILOT THE TASK OF PERFORMING AN AUTOROTATION TO A LANDING ON AN AIRPORT HELIPAD. DURING THE APPROACH THE SECOND PILOT, WHO WAS HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, WAS A "LITTLE SHORT" OF THE DESIRED TOUCHDOWN MARK. MA                IN ROTOR RPM DECREASED, AND UPON TOUCHDOWN A ROTOR BLADE CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE.

## 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 LAX01LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA053), Dec 4, 2000: Hughes 269C (N1097N), Carlsbad, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The CFI's inadequate supervision and failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a practice autorotation. A contributing factor was the student's improper in-flight planning/decision.

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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