20030407005049A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C · Wichita, KS · April 7, 2003

Date: April 7, 2003 · 16:45 local
Place: Wichita, KS
Airport: Westport Airport
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8968F
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA098
Reported as: Hughes 269C
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO360D1A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 17,500 total950 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N8968FRegistration cancelled Jun 13, 2005 · Hughes 269CS/N 630212 · Built 1973 Airframe modelHughes 269C Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Mr. Letts is a helicopter flight instructor that was in the left (pilot) seat and demonstrating a touchdown autorotation to Mr. Frye. Mr. Frye was getting instruction before taking his CFI practical test the next day. The helicopter touched down with excessive forward speed sliding an estimated 90 feet before the toe of the right skid caught in the turf rocking the helicopter forward and allowing the rotor system to contact the tail boom. Visible damage was done to the rotor blades, the tail boom was severed and broken off from the support system and the front half of the left skid was bent upward. The cabin area of the helicopter was not damaged and there were no reported injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. LETTS IS A HELICOPTER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THAT WAS IN THE LEFT (PILOT) SEAT AND DEMONSTRATING A TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION TO MR. FRYE. MR. FRYE WAS GETTING INSTRUCTION BEFORE TAKING HIS CFI PRACTICAL TEST THE NEXT DAY. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN WITH EXCESSIVE FORWARD SPEED SLIDING AN ESTIMATED 90 FEET BEFORE THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID CAUGHT IN THE TURF ROCKING THE HELICOPTER FORWARD AND ALLOWING THE ROTOR SYSTEM TO CONTACT THE TAIL BOOM. VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ROTOR BLADES, THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED AND BROKEN OFF FROM THE SUPPORT SYSTEM AND THE FRONT HALF OF THE LEFT SKID WAS BENT UPWARD. THE CABIN AREA OF THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI03LA098Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWichita, KSThe premature lowering of the collective and the improper use of the cyclic during the run-on landing performed by the flight instructor, as well as the main rotor/tail boom contact. Contributing factors were the intentional run-on landing, the grass landing…Apr 7, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8968F · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19750707028149ASfl Autorotation · Wichita, KSEng quit drg practice autorotation.Jul 7, 1975 · Substantial damage Accident 19741120039469ASfl Traffic Pattern · Greenwich, KSIp demo practice autorotations. Overshot spot t/d in wheatfield btwn rnwys,acft rocked fwd on skidsNov 20, 1974 · Substantial damage Accident 19740219003289ASfl Autorotation · Wichita, KSFeb 19, 1974 · Substantial damage