# Accident 20010807022199A: Hughes 269C, Lewiston, NY, August 7, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 2001, 12:53 local time
- Place: Lewiston, NY
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.2172° N, 78.9692° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2172&lon=-78.9692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3626B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3626B) (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
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD01LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010807022199A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2001, A HUGHES MODEL 269C HELICOPTER, N3626B, OPERATED BY MR. RONALD STEEN AS A RATING CANDIDATE, AND MR. DAVID TORREY AS THE PILOT EXAMINER, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER THE FLIGHT EXAMINER ATTEMPTED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A CORN FIELD. MR. STEEN STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS PROCEEDING SOUTH TO RETURN TO NIAGARA FALLS AIRPORT AT 1500' AGL. THE EXAMINER ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND MR. STEEN BEGAN THE AUTOROTATION WHICH WAS PROGRESSING NORMALLY. AT APPROXIMATELY 800 TO 900 FEET, THE EXAMINER DIRECTED THAT THE PILOT MAKE A POWER RECOVERY. MR. STEEN WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE THE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. MR. TORREY THEN NOTICED NO POWER RESPONSE AND AT THE REQUEST OF MR. STEEN, TOOK THE CONTROLS BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FROM MAKING A HARD LANDING IN THE FIELD. THE MAIN ROTOR CUT OFF THE THE TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR, THE RIGHT SKID COLLAPSED, THE MAIN ROTOR WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED AND THE LOWER WINDSHIELD BUBBLE WAS BROKEN. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO FUEL WAS SPILLED AS A RESULT. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION AND TURNED APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES TO THELEFT AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND REMAINED UPRIGHT. ALL CONTROLS APPEARED TO BE OPERATIVE AND THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE STOPPAGE BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND.

## 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 IAD01LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA095), Aug 7, 2001: Hughes 269C (N3626B), Lewiston, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during the simulated forced landing. Also causal in the accident was the failure of both pilots to recognize the total loss of engine power and the CFI's…

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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