# Accident 20030410007149A: Hughes 269B, Auburn, CA, April 10, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 10, 2003, 17:30 local time
- Place: Auburn, CA
- Airport: Auburn Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9581° N, 121.0667° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9581&lon=-121.0667&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16133, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N16133-2004-06-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269B (registry code 4470502, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269B
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA134) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030410007149A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE INSTRUCTOR WAS REGARDED AS "HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL, AND EXTREMELY SAFETY CONSCIOUS." THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THEN IT NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. IT IMPACTED IN WISE CANAL WHICH FEEDS INTO ROCK CREEK RESERVOIR APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS DOWNSTREAM. DIVE CREWS REMOVED THE OCCUPANT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED THE NEXT DAY BY A HELICOPTER/SLING OPERATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED ON 4-12-03. NO OBVIOUS ANOMALIES WERE NOTED BY EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE REPRESENTATIVES. SOME COMPONENTS WERE FORWARDED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. ONE ITEM OF NOTE IS THAT THE AFT TUBE CLUSTER FITTINGS DISPLAYED CORROSION IN THE LOWER ENDS OF THE TUBES. SOME TUBES HAD LOST AS MUCH AS HALF THEIR WALL THICKNESS (DETERMINED BY NAKED EYE AND 10X GLASS). THE MOST CORRODED TUBES SHOWED DIFFERENT FAILURE INDICATORS THAN THE TUBES WITH LESS CORROSION. THESE CLUSTER ASSEMBLIES WERE ALSO SENT OFF FOR ANALYSIS. A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE MADE CONCERNING THE CORROSION OF THESE CLUSTER ASSEMBLIES. IF ANY OTHER INFORMATION IS RECEIVED BY THIS OFFICE THIS REPORT WILL BE REVISED.

## 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 LAX03FA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA134), Apr 11, 2003: Hughes 269B (N16133), Auburn, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the misjudged flare maneuver by an unknown crewmember during a likely practice autorotation that resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.

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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