# Accident 20021101030259A: Hughes 269A, Fortgibson, OK, November 1, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 1, 2002, 11:50 local time - Place: Fortgibson, OK - Damage: Destroyed - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.7764° N, 95.1364° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7764&lon=-95.1364&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8885F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8885F-2018-01-17) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming HO-360 series (registry code 41513, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ho-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03FA028) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021101030259A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 01, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 1150 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES 269A HELICOPTER, N8885F, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR FORT GIBSON, OKLAHOMA. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY TUNDRA RESOURCES CORPORATION OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE AND POST-CRASH FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PLANNED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM COOKSON, OKLAHOMA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA. ONE WITNESS, WHO OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER FLYING TO THE WEST FOR ABOUT 8 SECONDS, REPORTED A PIECE OF THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER PITCHED TO THE RIGHT, THE MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED, THE HELICOPTER STARTED SPINNING, AND DESCENDING TOWARD THE GROUND. A SECOND WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A "POP." SUBSEQUENTLY, HE OBSERVED THE MAIN ROTOR SLOWING, WOBBLING, STOP TURNING, BREAK AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER AND TRAVEL FORWARD OF THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED "NOSE FORWARD AND THEN FELL ALMOST VERTICAL." THIS WITNESS FOUND ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE, THE LEFT TAILBOOM STRUT (GPS LATITUDE 35 DEGREES 46.50 MINUTES NORTH; 095 DEGREES 08.19 WEST), THE RIGHT STABILATOR, AND THE MAIN ROTOR (GPS LATITUDE 35 DEGREES 47.00 MINUTES NORTH; LONGITUDE 095 DEGREES 08.20 MINUTES WEST). LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THE NTSB INVESTIGATION TEAM, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, FOUND THE HELICOPTER (GPS LATITUDE 35 DEGREES 46.59 MINUTES NORTH; LONGITUDE 095 DEGREES 08.19 MINUTES WEST) IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE AT THE BASE OF A TREE IN THE WOODED WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. (-23) INVESTIGATION, BY INSPECTORS OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE, SHOWS THAT ON 11/01/02 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:50 CST, MR. FRED I. BARRS WAS PILOTING A HUGHES 269A, N8885F FROM COOKSON, OK TO TULSA R.L. JONES AIRPORT (RVS). MR. BARRS LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 6.5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OF FORT GIBSON, OK. EVIDENCE FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE SHOWS THAT AN IN-FLIGHT BREAK UP OCCURRED. COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN GATHERED AND WILL BE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BREAK UP. ## 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 FTW03FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03FA028), Nov 1, 2002: Hughes 269A (N8885F), Fort Gibson, OK, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The in-flight separation of the tail boom resulting from the failure of the fuselage to tail boom attachment fitting lugs, due to fatigue. ## Other reports on N8885F (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19740604016219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19740604016219A), Jun 4, 1974: Hughes 269A (N8885F), Walls, MS, Substantial damage. Plt lowered collective prior to full stop drg run-on ldg. Copter tilted fwd,blade cut tail. - [Accident 19730508011709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730508011709A), May 8, 1973: Hughes 269A (N8885F), Memphis, TN, Substantial damage. Lwr coupling shaft fwd bumper,p/n 269A 5513,missing. Acft not lvl prior to t/d. 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.