# Accident 20030102000659A: Hughes OH6A, New Port Richey, FL, January 2, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 2, 2003, 19:45 local time
- Place: New Port Richey, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.2747° N, 82.6322° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2747&lon=-82.6322&mi=10
- Aircraft: N317LC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N317LC-2018-02-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes OH-6 (registry code 4470904, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-oh-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES OH6A
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C18
- Pilot flight hours: 5,800 total, 800 in this make and model, 85 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03TA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03TA036) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030102000659A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JANUARY 2, 2003, ABOUT 1951 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES OH-6, N317LC, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY PASCO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LANDED HARD DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER TAKEOFF FROM HIDDEN LAKE AIRPORT, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC USE FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES TO THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT OR PILOT-RATED OBSERVER. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 6 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE HIDDEN LAKE AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE IN A LEFT TURN CLIMBING THROUGH 600 FEET AT 60 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED, HE HEARD A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE STOPPED THE TURN AND NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS AT FLIGHT IDLE AS INDICATED BY THE DUAL TACHOMETER. HE VERIFIED THE THROTTLE WAS FULL OPEN, AND MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TOWARDS AN OPEN AREA. HE BLED OFF MAIN ROTOR RPM TO CLEAR OBSTACLES THAT WERE AHEAD, AND DECELERATED AT 10 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN WITH LITTLE FORWARD MOVEMENT, COMING TO REST UPRIGHT. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FUEL NOZZLE LINE ATTACHMENT FITTING WAS FOUND LOOSE BY 3 FLATS. ADDITIONALLY, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD WITH OPERATION OF THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE. THE ENGINE AND FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE WERE RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED HIDDEN LAKE AIRPORT ON A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT, NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. AS PILOT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 600 FEET PILOT HEARD ENGINE OUT AUDIO, OBSERVED A SPLIT IN THE NEEDLES AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION. PILOT PERFORMED A RUNNING LANDING, SKIDS COLLAPSED CAUSING MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO CHOP OFF TAIL BOOM BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. INSPECTOR STATEMENT ON ENGINE INSPECTION ATTACHED.

## 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 MIA03TA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03TA036), Jan 3, 2003: Hughes OH-6 (N317LC), New Port Richey, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight of the helicopter following maintenance he observed, and failure of maintenance personnel to tighten the "B" nut at the fuel nozzle following a compressor wash…

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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