# Accident 20070729014239A: Hughes 269C, Three Forks, MT, July 29, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2007, 19:28 local time
- Place: Three Forks, MT
- Airport: Three Forks
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.8781° N, 111.5692° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8781&lon=-111.5692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N428MS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N428MS-2015-05-21) (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
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 476 total, 160 in this make and model, 113 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA07CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA220) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070729014239A

## Narrative

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

(-23) SCHWEIZER N428MS DEPARTED GALLETIN FIELD (BZN) BOZEMAN, MONTANA ENROUTE TO THREE FORKS AIRPORT (9S5) THREE FORKS MONTANA. UPON ARRIVING AT THREE FORKS AIRPORT THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT DISCUSSED THE CROSSWIND ON HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE MANEUVERS. N427MS TOOK OFF AND SET UP FOR A STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATION ON RUNWAY 02. TWO (2) STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATIONS WERE COMPLETED TO POWER RECOVERIES. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT THEN CONTINUED WITH 4 ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREE (180) AUTOROTATIONS ENTERED FROM THE RIGHT DOWNWIND; THEN PROCEEDED TO PRACTICE THREE (3) ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREE (180) AUTOROTATIONS FROM THE LEFT DOWNWIND OF RUNWAY 02. ON THE THIRD ONE EIGHTY AUTOROTATION FROM THE LEFT THE STUDENT BEGAN CYCLIC FLARE. JUST PRIOR TO THE POWER RECOVERY THE TAILROTOR STRUCK THE RUNWAY. THEN THE INSTRUCTOR CAME ON THE CONTROLS, BECAUSE THE POWER RECOVERY WAS ALREADY INITIATED BY THE STUDENT, THE SKIDS WERE BEGINNING TO LEVEL AND THE COLLECTIVE AND THROTTLE INPUTS WERE APPLIED. THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO OSCILLATE AND SPIN, THE INSTRUCTOR ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE. UPON ROLLING THE THROTTLE OFF THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY, LEFT SKID COLLAPSED AND AIRCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. BOTH INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES TO EITHER PILOT OTHER THAN MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES. RUNWAY MARKS INDICATE THAT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT. AIRCRAFT ENDED UP ON LEFT SIDE. DAMAGE TO THE LAST 2 FOOT OF EACH MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIP, TAIL BOOM, AIRFRAME, SKIDS AND TAIL ROTOR. NO ADDITIONAL CAUSAL FACTORS AT THIS TIME.

## 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 SEA07CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA220), Jul 30, 2007: Hughes 269C (N428MS), Three Forks, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during autorotation. The flight instructor's inadequate supervision was a factor.

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.