# Accident 20010703019859A: Hughes 369A, Wadesboro, NC, July 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 2001, 15:45 local time
- Place: Wadesboro, NC
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.9590° N, 80.0602° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9590&lon=-80.0602&mi=10
- Aircraft: N539, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N539-2020-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369A (registry code 4470503, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C10D (registry code 03035, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c10d) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL01LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA070) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010703019859A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE PERFORMING A MAINTENANCE FLIGHT FOR BLADE TRACKING, FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 150 FT AGL AIRSPEED 60 KNOTS THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND LANDED IN A FIELD OF TALL GRASS.  AS AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO NOSE OVER PILOT PULLED BACK ON CYCLIC.  MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED TAIL BOOM.  INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT WITH THE MASTER POWER SWITCH ON, THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INDICATED 50 LBS OF FUEL AND THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON.  FURTHER INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT DID PRESS TO TEST GOOD AND WHEN THE LEADS WERE SHORTED AT THE FUEL QUANTITY TRANSMITTER THE LIGHT DID COME ON.  ALL OTHER FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR COMPONENTS CHECKED GOOD.  THE FUEL QUANTITY PROBE APPEARS TO HAVE MOMENTARILY STUCK INDICATING 50 LBS OF FUEL AND PREVENTED THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT FROM OPERATING CORRECTLY. A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE MADE TO INCORPORATE THE MILITARY FUEL BURN RATE CHARTS TO THE HU-369A AFM.

## 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 ATL01LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA070), Jul 3, 2001: Hughes 369A (N539), Wadesboro, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was rough and uneven terrain.

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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