# Accident 20120305028769A: Hughes 269C, Staples, TX, March 5, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2012, 11:35 local time
- Place: Staples, TX
- Airport: San Marcos Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.8211° N, 97.8631° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8211&lon=-97.8631&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1099N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1099N-2013-01-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-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
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 143 total, 100 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA181) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120305028769A

## Narrative

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

PILOT SAID THAT THEY WERE FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AROUND 500 FEET. THEY HEARD A METAL POP SOUND AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT TINTO A VIGOROUS VIBRATION AND LOSS OF YAW CONTROL, IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION, AT THAT TIME THE VIBRATION LESSENED. AT THE END OF THE AUTOROTATION DURING THE FLARE THE VIBRATION PICKED BACK UP AND AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND.

## 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 CEN12LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA181), Mar 5, 2012: Sikorsky 269C (N1099N), Staples, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to attain the proper descent rate during autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident were the inflight vibrations and loss of torque pedal…

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.

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