20030825020949A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C · Columbia, CA · August 25, 2003

Date: August 25, 2003 · 12:00 local
Place: Columbia, CA
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N58363
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03CA264
Reported as: Hughes 269C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 880 total60 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N58363Registered now · Hughes 269CS/N 690796 · Built 1979 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) Instructional flight, steve dunbar acting as the CFI. The private helicopter rated pilot was acting as PIC and was performing a power off autorotation. The PIC flared late and low to the ground causing the tail rotor to hit the ground. The CFI attempted to correct the situation and took the controls and made a safe landing. There was minor damage to the helicopters tail rotor blades. (-23 amendment) there was substantial damage to the helicopters tail rotor blades.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, STEVE DUNBAR ACTING AS THE CFI. THE PRIVATE HELICOPTER RATED PILOT WAS ACTING AS PIC AND WAS PERFORMING A POWER OFF AUTOROTATION. THE PIC FLARED LATE AND LOW TO THE GROUND CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR TO HIT THE GROUND. THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND TOOK THE CONTROLS AND MADE A SAFE LANDING. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTERS TAIL ROTOR BLADES. (-23 AMENDMENT) THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTERS TAIL ROTOR BLADES.

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 LAX03CA264Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportColumbia, CAthe student pilot's improper execution of the autorotation. Also causal, was the CFI's delayed remedial action and supervision of the flight.Aug 25, 2003 · Substantial damage