# Accident 20050417005859A: Hughes 269A, Whitefish, MT, April 17, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 17, 2005, 16:00 local time
- Place: Whitefish, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.4500° N, 114.4500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4500&lon=-114.4500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7054C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7054C-2017-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 49 total, 15 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA05CA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05CA083) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050417005859A

## Narrative

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

(-23) STUDENT PILOT STATES HE DECIDED TO PRACTICE HOVERING IN A HU-269-A ALTHOUGH HE HAS HAD NO TIME IN THAT MODEL IN OVER ONE YEAR. STUDENT HAS 2.4 HOURS IN A "C" MODEL WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 3 DAYS. STUDENT LIFTED OFF AND WHEN HE TURNED DOWNWIND TO RETURN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SHOP, HE GOT IN LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE). HE TRIED TO SET DOWN AND ROLLED ONTO HIS RIGHT SIDE.

## 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 SEA05CA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05CA083), Apr 17, 2005: Hughes 269A (N7054C), Whitefish, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Gusting winds and the student pilot's inadequate compensation for…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.