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20070715012729I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Hughes 269C-1 · Dublin, CA · July 15, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 15, 2007 · 18:45 local
Place
Dublin, CA
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
HIAS
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N2021G
Reported as
Hughes 269C1
Reported engine
Lycoming HO360C1A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
414 total337 in this make and model204 in the last 90 days
N2021GRegistration cancelled Oct 30, 2009 · Schweizer 269C-1S/N 0095 · Built 1999Airframe 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) PIC reported that the helicopter was ascending between 2K-3K ft at approximately 500 ft. per minute rate when a loud bang was heard, followed by a violent shudder which was accompanies by smoke and oil emanating from the right hand side of the engine cowling. Pilot reduced engine power to idle which ended the shudder. PIC performed an autorotation into an unoccupied grass field adjacent to a middle school. PIC commented that just before touch down he reapplied engine power during the landing flare cushioning the touch down. PIC reported that the shudder returned when he reapplied engine power. Pilot and passenger reported no unusual engine indications. It was later discovered that the top third of the engine's #2 cylinder head assembly had broke off from the engine in an almost symmetrical horizontal split. The portion of the cylinder that split was approximately 2 inches from the top are of the cylinder head just below the spark plug and valves. Maintenance records indicated normal cylinder pressure readings on 5/23/07, TSO 981 hours. #2 cylinder 76/80 PSI.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS ASCENDING BETWEEN 2K-3K FT AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FT. PER MINUTE RATE WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY A VIOLENT SHUDDER WHICH WAS ACCOMPANIES BY SMOKE AND OIL EMANATING FROM THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING. PILOT REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO IDLE WHICH ENDED THE SHUDDER. PIC PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION INTO AN UNOCCUPIED GRASS FIELD ADJACENT TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL. PIC COMMENTED THAT JUST BEFORE TOUCH DOWN HE REAPPLIED ENGINE POWER DURING THE LANDING FLARE CUSHIONING THE TOUCH DOWN. PIC REPORTED THAT THE SHUDDER RETURNED WHEN HE REAPPLIED ENGINE POWER. PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED NO UNUSUAL ENGINE INDICATIONS. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP THIRD OF THE ENGINE'S #2 CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY HAD BROKE OFF FROM THE ENGINE IN AN ALMOST SYMMETRICAL HORIZONTAL SPLIT. THE PORTION OF THE CYLINDER THAT SPLIT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES FROM THE TOP ARE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD JUST BELOW THE SPARK PLUG AND VALVES. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED NORMAL CYLINDER PRESSURE READINGS ON 5/23/07, TSO 981 HOURS. #2 CYLINDER 76/80 PSI.

Other reports on N2021G · 1

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

Incident 20040626011329INormal Cruise · Emeryville, CA(-23) Catastrophic failure of the throttle bellcrank/throttle cable bearing, throttle control became inoperative upon bearing failure. Pilot performed a successful running landing. Inspection of the throttle bellcrank revealed that the bearing linking the…Jun 26, 2004