# Accident 20020915032689A: Hughes 369A, Burtonsville, MD, September 15, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 15, 2002, 14:30 local time
- Place: Burtonsville, MD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.1278° N, 76.8831° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1278&lon=-76.8831&mi=10
- Aircraft: N336SP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N336SP-2020-02-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369A (registry code 4470503, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC02LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA192) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020915032689A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIR, COMING TO REST IN 4 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH NECK AND BACK FRACTURES. PASSENGER RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE PILOT REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COULDN'T HOLD ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ONLY ABOUT 300' AGL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE PILOT INITIATED AUTO ROTATION TOWARDS THE LAKE AND SAID THAT JUST BEFORE HE HIT THE ENGINE REIGNITED AT A HIGH POWER SETTING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT IN ALMOST STRAIGHT AND LEVEL CONFIGURATION AND THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH ENERGY WATER IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISASSEMBLED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM AIRFRAME AND ENGINE MANUFACTURERS. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INTERNAL TO THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX. GEARBOX AND ASSOCIATED PARTS SENT TO BOEING/HUGHES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. PRELIMINARY PENDING RESULTS OF TEARDOWN.

## 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 NYC02LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA192), Sep 15, 2002: Hughes 369A (N336SP), Burtonsville, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the tailrotor gearbox for undetermined reasons.

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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