# Accident 20010427006979A: Hughes 269B, Nacogdoches, TX, April 27, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 27, 2001, 17:40 local time - Place: Nacogdoches, TX - Airport: A L Mangham Regional Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.6104° N, 94.6495° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.6104&lon=-94.6495&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9508F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9508F-2018-01-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hughes 269B (registry code 4470502, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269b) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269B - Reported engine: LYC HIO360* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 11,716 total, 200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA109) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010427006979A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON APRIL 27, 2001, AT 1740 CDT, A HUGHES 269B HELICOPTER, N9508F, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPATCHED WIRES AND TERRAIN WHILE REPOSITIONING AT THE A.L. MANAGHAM JR. REGIONAL AIRPORT NEAR NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE HELICOPTER WAS PARKED ON A TRAILER BETWEEN TWO T-HANGERS AND UNDER A POWER LINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CLEARED THE AREA AROUND THE HELICOPTER;HOWEVER, HE DID NOT CLEAR THE AERA DIRECTLY OVER THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER AND IMPACTED THE POWER LINE APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE POWER LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE MAIN ROTOR MAST AND PARTIALLY SEPARATED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE MAST, MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND CABIN AREA SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. (-23)OWNER/OPERATOR LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER/LANDING PAD FOR REPOSIONING OF THE HELICOPTER. AT APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE TRAILER/LANDING PAD THE HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER LINES. THESE POWER LINES RUN BETWEEN THE T-HANGERS AND SUPPLY POWER TO THE AIRPORT. THE POWER LINES CABLES WERE CUT AND RAPPED AROUND THE ROTOR MASK. THE HELICOPTER LOST POWER AND LANDED FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT. (.4) ON APRIL 27, 2001, AT 1740 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 269B HELICOPTER, N9508F, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED WIRES AND TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF AT THE A.L. MANGHAM JR. REGIONAL AIRPORT NEAR NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE HELICOPTER WAS PARKED ON A TRAILER BETWEEN TWO T-HANGARS AND UNDER A POWER LI NE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CLEARED THE AREA AROUND THE HELICOPTER; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT CLEAR THE AREA DIRECTLY OVER THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER AND IMPACTED THE POWER LINE APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT MENTIONED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, "THE SUN WAS AT AN ANGLE AND INTENSITY SO THAT THE WIRES WERE NOT VISIBLE." HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WIRES WERE NOT MARKED WITH RED BALLS. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE POWER LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE MAIN ROTOR MAST AND PARTIALLY SEPARATED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE MAST, MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND CABIN AREA SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. ## 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 FTW01LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA109), Apr 27, 2001: Hughes 269B (N9508F), Nacogdoches, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the wires during takeoff. Contributory factors were the sunglare and the unmarked wires. ## Other reports on N9508F (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19811215087519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811215087519A), Dec 15, 1981: Hughes 269B (N9508F), West Jordan, UT, Substantial damage. Student allowed RPM decay on practice low-level turns. CFI tried to correct skid, hit ground, rolled over on impact 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.