# Accident 20040514007609A: Hughes 269A1, Louisburg, NC, May 14, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 2004, 15:10 local time
- Place: Louisburg, NC
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0233° N, 78.3300° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0233&lon=-78.3300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N115ES, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N115ES-2013-07-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269A-1 (registry code 4470404, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A1
- Reported engine: LYC IO360LYC*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 40 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04TA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04TA116) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040514007609A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TAKING PART IN A DRUG ERADICATION PROGRAM. FLIGHT WAS ONE-HOUR INTO A TWO-HOUR FLIGHT WHEN AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED AT A FIELD SITE AND WAS SHUT-DOWN. APPROXIMATELY ONE-HOUR LATER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE SITE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR MARIJUANA. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT STATED HE FELT TWO VIBRATIONS AND THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE BACK. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT, HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND MANEUVERED TOWARD A SMALL CLEARING AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TAIL BOOM SADDLE ATTACHMENT HAD FAILED, ALLOWING THE TAIL BOOM TO MOVE AND SEVER THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THIS LED TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE 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 ATL04TA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04TA116), May 14, 2004: Hughes 269A (N115ES), Louisburg, NC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Fatigue failure of the tailboom saddle fitting which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. Also causal was inadequate maintenance due to non-compliance to an airworthiness directive requiring…

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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