OpenAirDocs.org

20040809016469A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C-1 · Denton, TX · August 9, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 9, 2004 · 17:04 local
Place
Denton, TX
Airport
Denton Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N204LH
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04LA209
Reported as
Hughes 269C1
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,800 total250 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days
N204LHRegistration cancelled Oct 5, 2005 · Schweizer 269C-1S/N 0172 · Built 2004Airframe modelSchweizer 269C-1Engine modelLycoming HO-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) Inspector worthy conducted the on-scene investigation and completed most of the required items. I was called on to interview the instructor who was the PIC of the aircraft, gene lacoste. I spoke with him the following day after examining the wreckage. Mr. Lacoste stated that the student was practicing hovering autorotations from a skid height of about 12-18 inches. Winds were northerly at 2-3 knots, and not a factor. The student initiated the maneuver by rolling off the throttle, he then applied full forward cyclic and pulled full collective. The aircraft responded by rotating forward about the front of the skids until the main rotor blades contacted the ground. It continued to roll forward and left until it came to rest on the left side. The student had approximately 250 hours of flight time with about 40 in helicopters. Five of those hours were delivered by Mr. Lacoste. At the time of the accident they had flown about an hour. Inspector was slow to take action against inappropriate control input.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INSPECTOR WORTHY CONDUCTED THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION AND COMPLETED MOST OF THE REQUIRED ITEMS. I WAS CALLED ON TO INTERVIEW THE INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS THE PIC OF THE AIRCRAFT, GENE LACOSTE. I SPOKE WITH HIM THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER EXAMINING THE WRECKAGE. MR. LACOSTE STATED THAT THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS FROM A SKID HEIGHT OF ABOUT 12-18 INCHES. WINDS WERE NORTHERLY AT 2-3 KNOTS, AND NOT A FACTOR. THE STUDENT INITIATED THE MANEUVER BY ROLLING OFF THE THROTTLE, HE THEN APPLIED FULL FORWARD CYCLIC AND PULLED FULL COLLECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED BY ROTATING FORWARD ABOUT THE FRONT OF THE SKIDS UNTIL THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. IT CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD AND LEFT UNTIL IT CAME TO REST ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE STUDENT HAD APPROXIMATELY 250 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME WITH ABOUT 40 IN HELICOPTERS. FIVE OF THOSE HOURS WERE DELIVERED BY MR. LACOSTE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THEY HAD FLOWN ABOUT AN HOUR. INSPECTOR WAS SLOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST INAPPROPRIATE CONTROL INPUT.

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 FTW04LA209Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDenton, TXThe student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight by his delay in taking remedial action.Aug 9, 2004 · Substantial damage