20030528010329A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C · Denver, CO · May 28, 2003

Date: May 28, 2003 · 09:05 local
Place: Denver, CO
Airport: Front Range Airport
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N9643F
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03FA090
Reported as: Hughes 269C
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO360D1A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,100 total30 in the last 90 days

N9643FRegistration cancelled Feb 15, 2018 · Hughes 269CS/N 1200076 · Built 1972 Airframe modelHughes 269C Engine modelLycoming HIO-360 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) On may 28, 2003 at approximately 0900 a helicopter was observed flying a pattern that a.m. in what was termed training for a "helicopter commercial rating." Based on witness marks on taxiway and damage incurred by the tail rotor, it appears that the pilot lost control in a nose high attitude above the taxiway headed in a westerly direction. The tail rotor and gearbox were separated from the aircraft causing loss of control.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 28, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 A HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING A PATTERN THAT A.M. IN WHAT WAS TERMED TRAINING FOR A "HELICOPTER COMMERCIAL RATING." BASED ON WITNESS MARKS ON TAXIWAY AND DAMAGE INCURRED BY THE TAIL ROTOR, IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT LOST CONTROL IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE ABOVE THE TAXIWAY HEADED IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. THE TAIL ROTOR AND GEARBOX WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.

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 DEN03FA090Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportWatkins, COfailure of both pilots to initiate a timely recovery from a practice autorotation. A contributing factor was the instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.May 28, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N9643F · 1

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

Accident 19800831057799AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Pilot Rock, OREngine quit made emergency landing, rolled backwards on impact. Found sleeping bag, tied on outside caught v belts.Aug 31, 1980 · Substantial damage