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20031110029139A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Hughes 269B · IN · November 10, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 10, 2003 · 16:59 local
Place
IN
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1093D
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI04LA030
Reported as
Hughes 269B
Reported engine
Lycoming HIO360*
Fatal injuries
0
N1093DRegistration cancelled Jul 24, 2012 · Hughes 269BS/N 200900 · Built 1980Airframe modelHughes 269BEngine 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) Witness reported the helicopter flew northbound at low level over six mile island. Once clear of the island's trees, the helicopter descended at an angle of approximately 20 to 30 degrees until it impacted the Ohio river adjacent to jeffersonville, IN. The witnesses reported seeing and hearing nothing that suggested the helicopter had any problems before impacting the river. Police who interviewed the pilot and his female passenger at the scene of the accident smelled alcohol on the breath of both and observed physical indications consistent with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Acting upon probable cause, the police requested blood alcohol tests be administered at the hospital to which both were transported. The results of those tests are unknown as of this date. A subsequent inspection of the helicopter found no obvious mechanical deficiencies that would have caused the accident. In statements made to the police, both the pilot and his passenger claimed to have been flying the helicopter at the time of the accident. The trim switch was in the co-pilot position. The passenger said she was handling the controls and something went wrong...she didn't know what...and the helicopter crashed. This investigation could not determine who was manipulating the controls because neither the pilot nor the passenger would provide additional information.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITNESS REPORTED THE HELICOPTER FLEW NORTHBOUND AT LOW LEVEL OVER SIX MILE ISLAND. ONCE CLEAR OF THE ISLAND'S TREES, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AT AN ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 DEGREES UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE OHIO RIVER ADJACENT TO JEFFERSONVILLE, IN. THE WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING AND HEARING NOTHING THAT SUGGESTED THE HELICOPTER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE IMPACTING THE RIVER. POLICE WHO INTERVIEWED THE PILOT AND HIS FEMALE PASSENGER AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT SMELLED ALCOHOL ON THE BREATH OF BOTH AND OBSERVED PHYSICAL INDICATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. ACTING UPON PROBABLE CAUSE, THE POLICE REQUESTED BLOOD ALCOHOL TESTS BE ADMINISTERED AT THE HOSPITAL TO WHICH BOTH WERE TRANSPORTED. THE RESULTS OF THOSE TESTS ARE UNKNOWN AS OF THIS DATE. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER FOUND NO OBVIOUS MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. IN STATEMENTS MADE TO THE POLICE, BOTH THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN FLYING THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TRIM SWITCH WAS IN THE CO-PILOT POSITION. THE PASSENGER SAID SHE WAS HANDLING THE CONTROLS AND SOMETHING WENT WRONG...SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT...AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. THIS INVESTIGATION COULD NOT DETERMINE WHO WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS BECAUSE NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE PASSENGER WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

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 CHI04LA030Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLouisville, KYThe pilot's improper in-flight decision to allow the passenger to manipulate the aircraft flight controls, his failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the river, and his inadequate remedial action. A related factor was the low altitude.Nov 10, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1093D · 1

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

Accident 19800806034889AHovering · Woodville, LAHovered near ground in dusty area. Engine heated, lost rotor RPM. Rotors hit tree obscured by dust trying to land.Aug 6, 1980 · Substantial damage