# Accident 20040212001669A: Hughes 369FF, Mesa, AZ, February 12, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 12, 2004, 11:55 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4608° N, 111.7283° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10
- Aircraft: N630N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N630N) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369F (registry code 4470708, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47 series (registry code 54235, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369FF
- Pilot flight hours: 12,636 total, 70 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA122) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040212001669A

## Narrative

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

(-23) MISTER TURCHETTA A TEST PILOT FOR MD HELICOPTERS WAS GIVING A TURKISH POLICE OFFICER DUAL INSTRUCTION IN N630N A MD 600 (MD369FF) PRIOR TO THEIR GOVERNMENT ACCEPTING DELIVERY ON SIX OF THESE AIRCRAFT. THEY HAD JUST COMPLETED 4 TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS AND WAS EXECUTING THE 5TH (THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AT 10KNOTS) WHEN DURING THE CUSHION PORTION OF THE AUTO A GUST OF WIND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT APPROX. 30 TO 40 DEGREES NOSE LEFT. MR. TRUCHETTA WAS FLYING AND DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ANTI TORQUE AUTHORITY (THIS AIRCRAFT HAS NO TAIL ROTOR) TO STRAIGHTEN THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED SLIGHTLY SIDEWAYS, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED A LITTLE HARDER THAN USUAL AND SKIDDED APPOX. 4 FEET. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAILBOOM SEPARATING IT FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT THE MD600 HAS A HISTORY OF CHOPPING OFF THE TAILBOOM, DURING CERTIFICATION OF THE AIRCRAFT THERE WERE AT LEAST 3 TAILBOOMS CHOPPED OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS COULD BE CAUSED BY THE BLOWBACK EFFECT WHICH MAY BE PREVALENT IN THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT. ALSO AT LOWER RPMS THE NOTAR DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY AS THE CONVENTIONAL TAIL ROTOR AIRCRAFT.

## 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 LAX04CA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA122), Feb 12, 2004: McDonnell Douglas 369FF (N630N), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind gusts and subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was a wind…

## Other reports on N630N (2)

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

- [Accident 19961121039479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961121039479A), Nov 21, 1996: Hughes 369FF (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, Substantial damage. High velocity autorotations test. Impacted runway. Bent seperated skids. Began test too low. Low airspeed. Weight.
- [Incident 19961104034519I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961104034519I), Nov 4, 1996: Hughes 369FF (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, Minor damage. Narrative: while performing flight tests on a proto-type MD630N at Flagstaff airport, Flagstaff, Arizona, the pilot entered the ninth (9th) auto-rotation of…

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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