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20100920047219A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hughes 269C · Schaumburg, IL · September 20, 2010

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 20, 2010 · 17:20 local
Place
Schaumburg, IL
Airport
Schaumburg Regional
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N34LB
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN10LA560
Reported as
Hughes 269C
Reported engine
Lycoming HIO-360-D1A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N34LBRegistered now · Hughes 269CS/N 780714 · Built 1978Airframe modelHughes 269CEngine modelLycoming HIO-360-D1AReciprocating

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.

This was the third flight of the day. The student pilot performed the preflight inspection under the supervision of the flight instructor. The student pilot was receiving dual instruction. As soon as the helicopter departed the mobile cart to a ground hover the aircraft experienced strong vibration and shaking. The flight instructor took command of the controls and executed an emergency landing. The aircraft then spun approximately 180 degrees. Inspection revealed that the bolt attaching the LH tailboom support strut to the aft cluster fitting had fallen out. The ADB221-1 adjustable bolt that fell out was part of an approved modfication for Schweizer aircraft aft cluster kit (sa 269-K-106) that was installed on the aircraft 06/01/2010. Loss of the bolt resulted in the tailboom partially separating from the fuselage and was destroyed. The bolt and associated hardware was recovered at the site. The self locking nut that was recovered had zero drag torque. Two main rotor blades were damaged due to FOD during the event. The aircraft owner was advised to submit a service difficulty report (SDR).

As the FAA filed it

THIS WAS THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE STUDENT PILOT PERFORMED THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION. AS SOON AS THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE MOBILE CART TO A GROUND HOVER THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED STRONG VIBRATION AND SHAKING. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK COMMAND OF THE CONTROLS AND EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SPUN APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE BOLT ATTACHING THE LH TAILBOOM SUPPORT STRUT TO THE AFT CLUSTER FITTING HAD FALLEN OUT. THE ADB221-1 ADJUSTABLE BOLT THAT FELL OUT WAS PART OF AN APPROVED MODFICATION FOR SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT AFT CLUSTER KIT (SA 269-K-106) THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT 06/01/2010. LOSS OF THE BOLT RESULTED IN THE TAILBOOM PARTIALLY SEPARATING FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS DESTROYED.THE BOLT AND ASSOCIATED HARDWARE WAS RECOVERED AT THE SITE. THE SELF LOCKING NUT THAT WAS RECOVERED HAD ZERO DRAG TORQUE. TWO MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED DUE TO FOD DURING THE EVENT.THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WAS ADVISED TO SUBMIT A SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT (SDR).

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 CEN10LA560Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSchaumburg, ILThe in-flight separation of the left aft cluster fitting assembly following the loss of torque on the lock nut due to a manufacturing defect.Sep 20, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N34LB · 2

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

Incident 20140823015829ICruise/Level Flight · Hanover Park, ILDuring cruise flight the pilot noticed engine RPM was lower than expected. The pilot rolled on power but RPM did not increase. The pilot initiated an auto-rotation. During descent the engine quit. The aircraft landed in a football field. No injuries occurred.…Aug 23, 2014 · Minor damageIncident 20120421006789ISchaumburg, ILTail rotor and vertical stabilizer struck landing dolly during lift off.Apr 21, 2012 · Minor damage