20081231856849A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C · Panama City Be, FL · December 31, 2008

Date: December 31, 2008 · 12:30 local
Place: Panama City Be, FL
Airport: Panhandle Helicopter LLC
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N36254
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09CA120
Reported as: Hughes 269C
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO360D1A
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 531 total211 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N36254Registration cancelled Aug 5, 2021 · Schweizer HUGHES 269CS/N S1186 Airframe modelSchweizer HUGHES 269C

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) Pilot stated he was in a 50 ft hover looking at an alligator. He stated he was starting to pitch forward and pull in some power when he experienced an uncommanded yaw to the right. He applied left pedal but the helicopter continued to spin violently. He estimates the aircraft spun 8-10 times before hitting in the swamp. As he approached the surface, he tried to pull some more collective to soft the landing. The aircraft hit hard in 2.5 feet of water and mud. The landing skids collapsed and the structural tubing supporting the skids were bent or broken. The engine ingested water and mud and quit running on impact. The doors "popped open" and the support braces for the cockpit snapped. None of the rotors impacted the water. Continuity of controls was verified.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED HE WAS IN A 50 FT HOVER LOOKING AT AN ALLIGATOR. HE STATED HE WAS STARTING TO PITCH FORWARD AND PULL IN SOME POWER WHEN HE EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED LEFT PEDAL BUT THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SPIN VIOLENTLY. HE ESTIMATES THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 8-10 TIMES BEFORE HITTING IN THE SWAMP. AS HE APPROACHED THE SURFACE, HE TRIED TO PULL SOME MORE COLLECTIVE TO SOFT THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD IN 2.5 FEET OF WATER AND MUD. THE LANDING SKIDS COLLAPSED AND THE STRUCTURAL TUBING SUPPORTING THE SKIDS WERE BENT OR BROKEN. THE ENGINE INGESTED WATER AND MUD AND QUIT RUNNING ON IMPACT. THE DOORS "POPPED OPEN" AND THE SUPPORT BRACES FOR THE COCKPIT SNAPPED. NONE OF THE ROTORS IMPACTED THE WATER. CONTINUITY OF CONTROLS WAS VERIFIED.

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 ERA09CA120Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPanama City, FLThe pilot's encounter with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during an out-of-ground-effect hover.Dec 31, 2008 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N36254 · 1

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

Accident 19990310002129AHovering · Laredo, TXHughes 269C helicopter was involved in aerial application when it lost power and crashed, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on March 10, 0910 central standard time, a Schweizer Hughes 269C helicopter, N36254, was substantially damaged furing a forced…Mar 10, 1999 · Substantial damage