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20010309005739I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Hughes 269C · Norwood, MA · March 9, 2001

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 9, 2001 · 09:00 local
Place
Norwood, MA
Airport
Norwood Memorial Airport
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N269MG
Reported as
Hughes 269C
Reported engine
Continental IO360*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,990 total450 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N269MGRegistration cancelled Mar 18, 2013 · Hughes 269CS/N 150380 · Built 1975Airframe modelHughes 269CEngine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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) CFI was giving dual instruction to pilot who was being checked out I n the Hughes 300 helicopter. CFI told pilot that all he needed to complete his check-out was more emergency procedures practice. This was the first landing of the period. The active runway was 35. As per usual procedures for Norwood ATCT, the helicopter was given the non-active runway for closed traffic operations. Wind was reported as 017 degrees at 8 knots. CFI decided to do a 180 degree turn autorotation on first landing. Pilot entered autorotation from left downwind and overshor his turn to final. Pilot was still turning left when he began flare. Pilot began flare and noticed that it was not as effective as he was expecting. Pilot then added more flare. Tail rotor came in contact with the ground or a snow bank, causing damage to one tail rotor blade. Blade tip cap was dislodged from tail rotor blade. Wind was a factor. Touchdown was completed with wind coming from aft of the helicopter. Contributing factors: wind, left bank, overshooting turn, judgement. CFI was lightly on controls throughout the manuever.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) CFI WAS GIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION TO PILOT WHO WAS BEING CHECKED OUT I N THE HUGHES 300 HELICOPTER. CFI TOLD PILOT THAT ALL HE NEEDED TO COMPLETE HIS CHECK-OUT WAS MORE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PRACTICE. THIS WAS THE FIRST LANDING OF THE PERIOD. THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WAS 35. AS PER USUAL PROCEDURES FOR NORWOOD ATCT, THE HELICOPTER WAS GIVEN THE NON-ACTIVE RUNWAY FOR CLOSED TRAFFIC OPERATIONS. WIND WAS REPORTED AS 017 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. CFI DECIDED TO DO A 180 DEGREE TURN AUTOROTATION ON FIRST LANDING. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION FROM LEFT DOWNWIND AND OVERSHOR HIS TURN TO FINAL. PILOT WAS STILL TURNING LEFT WHEN HE BEGAN FLARE. PILOT BEGAN FLARE AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS HE WAS EXPECTING. PILOT THEN ADDED MORE FLARE. TAIL ROTOR CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND OR A SNOW BANK, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE. BLADE TIP CAP WAS DISLODGED FROM TAIL ROTOR BLADE. WIND WAS A FACTOR. TOUCHDOWN WAS COMPLETED WITH WIND COMING FROM AFT OF THE HELICOPTER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WIND, LEFT BANK, OVERSHOOTING TURN, JUDGEMENT. CFI WAS LIGHTLY ON CONTROLS THROUGHOUT THE MANUEVER.