20140425017819A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes 269A · Cleburne, TX · April 25, 2014

Date: April 25, 2014 · 14:00 local
Place: Cleburne, TX
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N90636
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14LA222
Reported as: Hughes 269A
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,855 total120 in the last 90 days

N90636Registration cancelled Jan 10, 2018 · Hughes 269AS/N 570708 · Built 1967 Airframe modelHughes 269A Engine modelLycoming HIO-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.

The 14 CFR part 91 flight was for the instruction of the student pilot, named above. The student pilot stated that they had air-taxied about 200 yards at a height of 20 feet and 30 knots. The pilot stated that he flared to hover. The pilot stated that suddenly he felt the aircraft pitch violently fore and aft, hit the ground, then main rotor blades and tail rotor strike the ground. The certified flight instructor (CFI) agreed with the pilot?s statement.

As the FAA filed it

THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF THE STUDENT PILOT, NAMED ABOVE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THEY HAD AIR-TAXIED ABOUT 200 YARDS AT A HEIGHT OF 20 FEET AND 30 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLARED TO HOVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT SUDDENLY HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT PITCH VIOLENTLY FORE AND AFT, HIT THE GROUND, THEN MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND TAIL ROTOR STRIKE THE GROUND. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AGREED WITH THE PILOT?S STATEMENT.

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 CEN14LA222Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCleburne, TXThe student pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from terrain while transitioning to a hover taxi and the instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action to prevent the impending tail rotor contact.Apr 25, 2014 · Substantial damage