# Accident 20040709016019A: Hughes 269C, Mcmurray, WA, July 9, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2004, 20:15 local time
- Place: Mcmurray, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.3850° N, 122.2517° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.3850&lon=-122.2517&mi=10
- Aircraft: N56PH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N56PH-2018-03-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,316 total, 214 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA04LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA128) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040709016019A

## Narrative

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

(-23) IN CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR MCMURRAY, WA, A BANG WAS HEARD COMING FROM ENGINE. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. PILOT SET UP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN "CLEAR CUT". ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO RUN BUT WOULD NOT PRODUCE POWER. UPON REAPPLICATION OF POWER THE ENGINE PRODUCED POPPING SOUNDS AND RAN ROUGH. PIC AUTOROTATED INTO THE CLEAR CUT AREA. FORWARD LEFT SKID DUG INTO THE MARSHY GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE (PILOT DOOR DOWN). THE TAILBOOM BROKE OVER TOP OF THE CANOPY. PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED AIRCRAFT AND HIKED OUT OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. PILOT HAD CUTS/SCRATCHES AND PASSENGER HAD NO INJURIES. SUMMARY OF FSDO ON SITE INVESTIGATION OF N56PH: ON JULY 10, 2004 THE NTSB AUTHORIZED A CONDITIONAL RELEASE OF THE HELICOPTER N56PH. IT WAS ALLOWED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE WETLAND AREA AND TRANSPORTED TO A STORAGE AREA. ON JULY 12, 2004 THE NTSB AUTHORIZED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE TRANSPORTED TO PRECISION HELICOPTERS IN OREGON ONCE IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. ON JULY 13, 2004 THE WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE BY HELICOPTER. INSPECTOR ROD ZIEGLER FROM THE SEATTLE FSDO WAS AT THE STAGING AREA TO INSPECT THE HELICOPTER WRECKAGE AFTER IT WAS FLOWN OUT OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. FROM THERE N56PH WAS TRANSPORTED TO PRECISION HELICOPTERS WHERE A DETAILED ENGINE INSPECTION COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THEIR PMI FROM THE PORTLAND FSDO. ON AUGUST 2, 2004, I CONTACTED AL DILAY OF THE PORTLAND FSDO TO SEE WHAT HIS FINDINGS WERE. INSPECTOR DILAY STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND IT RAN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. IT WAS RUN UP TO 3100 RPM. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IS NOT KNOWN.

## 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 SEA04LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA128), Jul 10, 2004: Hughes 269C (N56PH), Arlington, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A significant power loss for undetermined reasons while in cruise flight, leading to a full autorotational landing. Factors include no suitable terrain in the area, and soft swampy terrain at the…

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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