# Accident 20010821024759A: Hughes 269C, Tucumcari, NM, August 21, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 21, 2001, 09:30 local time
- Place: Tucumcari, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1556° N, 104.0722° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1556&lon=-104.0722&mi=10
- Aircraft: N502AA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N502AA-2013-08-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HO-360 series (registry code 41513, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ho-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN01LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA150) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010821024759A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON AUGUST 21, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER, N502AA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE T 4 CATTLE CO. WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL CATTLE HERDING FLIGHT WHICH HAD ORIGINATED FROM A FORWARD STAGING AREA APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR STRAY CATTLE ALONG A CLIFF FACE WHEN THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO THE BRUSH. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. (-23) RANCHER/PILOT WERE SEARCHING FOR STRAY CATTLE WHEN THE PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB UP A MESA. THE AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT AND CRASH LANDED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS MECHANICALLY WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE, BOTH WERE PERFORMING NORMALLY.                                                                                                                                                                               (.4) ON AUGUST 21, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 269C HELICOPTER, N502AA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE MANUEVERING NEAR TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PRIVATE PILOT PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE T 4 CATTLE CO. WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL CATTLE HERDING FLIGHT WHICH HAD ORIGINATED FROM A FORWARD STAGING AREA APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE AND HIS SON WERE LOOKING FOR MISSING CATTLE ON THEIR RANCH. HE SAID THAT THEY WERE FLYING LOW ON THE SIDE OF A MESA, OVER A ROUGH TREE COVERED SLOPE, WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEGAN IMPACTING 10 TO 15 FOOT HIGH CEDARS, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT WAS CRUSHED IN AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE BENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS POWERED BY A 235 HORSEPOWER LYCOMING ENGINE. THE HELICOPTER'S MANUFACTURER RECORDS INDICATED THAT IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A LYCOMING HIO-360-DIA, WHICH PRODUCES 190 HORSEPOWER AT 4,200 FEET (WHICH IS THE MANUFACTURER'S ALTITUDE RATING). THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT ELEVATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,500 FEET, AND THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 96 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT; THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7,398 FEET. A MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE CALCULATED THE OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER CAPABILITY OF THE HELICOPTER, WITH AN ESTIMATED 1,750 POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT, WAS 5,200 FEET.

## 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 DEN01LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA150), Aug 21, 2001: Hughes 269C (N502AA), Tucumcari, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the unsuccessful low altitude flight maneuver, and the high density altitude weather conditions.

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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