# Accident 20020924034889A: Hughes 269A, Council Bluffs, IA, September 24, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 24, 2002, 14:45 local time - Place: Council Bluffs, IA - Airport: Council Bluffs Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.2594° N, 95.7600° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2594&lon=-95.7600&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1040S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1040S-2003-01-16) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA293) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020924034889A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) THE INSTRUCTOR MR. MARK BAINBRIDGE WAS GIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO MR. RONALD RIFE PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS AT THE COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA AIRPORT, IN PREPARATION FOR THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PRACTICAL TEST. THIS FLIGHT TRAINING PERIOD CONSISTED OF NUMEROUS POWER OFF AUTOROTATIONS, BEFORE THE LAST ONE THAT RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE STATEMENTS FROM BOTH MR. BAINBRIDGE AND MR. RIFE SAY THAT THE INITIAL COLLECTIVE PULL AND SUBSEQUENT CUSHION WITH ALL OF THE COLLECTIVE REMAINING HAD NO EFFECT ON THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD CAUSING THE LANDING GEAR CROSS TUBES AND STRUTS TO COLLAPSE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN FAR ENOUGH TO CONTACT THE TAIL ROTOR AND SEVER THE TAIL BOOM APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET FORWARD THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE DAMAGE TO THE COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC CONTROLS AT THE MAST ASSEMBLY PRECLUDES A POSITIVE DETERMINATION, IF A FAILURE OF THE COLLECTIVE FLIGHT CONTROLS OCCURRED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE ATTACHING POINT FOR THE COLLECTIVE MIXER BELLCRANK WAS SENT TO THE NTSB FOR ANALYSIS, AS IT APPEARED TO HAVE A CRACK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 CHI02LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA293), Sep 24, 2002: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The premature fracture of the cyclic/mixture bracket resulting in the inability to conduct a landing flare. ## Other reports on N1040S (6) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20011101034959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011101034959I), Nov 1, 2001: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, Minor damage. (-23) The instructor and student were practicing emergency procedures at the Council Bluffs, IA airport. The student initiated a take off from a hover. The… - [Incident 19991104031539I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991104031539I), Nov 4, 1999: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, Minor damage. (-23) Mr. Robinson was taking a private pilot practical examination in a Hughes 269A helicopter. While performing a simulated power failure at a hover he… - [Accident 19970427006549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970427006549A), Apr 27, 1997: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, Substantial damage. Helicopter practicing hover/auto rotation, powered back. Struck left front nose, blades hit ground cut tail boom. - [Incident 19951014037049I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951014037049I), Oct 14, 1995: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, Minor damage. Narrative: Mr. Wilbert j. tovrea, certificate #482487931, was the pilot-in-command giving flight instruction to susan e. hatherill, a student pilot. He allowed… - [Incident 19950216006689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950216006689I), Feb 16, 1995: Hughes 269A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, Minor damage. Narrative: during the performance of a straight-in auto-rotation with a power recovery by the student pilot, collective application was applied late as well as… - [Accident 19830225005369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830225005369A), Feb 25, 1983: Hughes TH55A (N1040S), Council Bluffs, IA, Substantial damage. Damage indicates a hard landing on termination of a practice autorotation. Impact started craft to self destruct. 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.