# Accident 20150919016339A: Hughes 269B, Hartford, AL, September 19, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 2015, 09:45 local time
- Place: Hartford, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.1294° N, 85.6539° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.1294&lon=-85.6539&mi=10
- Aircraft: N141LL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N141LL-2021-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269B (registry code 4470502, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (registry code 41818, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,200 total, 175 in this make and model, 214 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15CA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA364) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150919016339A

## Narrative

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

WHILE TRANSITIONING FROM A HOVER TO FORWARD FLIGHT AT NEAR MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT AND WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 2200 FEET, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED WHEN PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR A 4 FOOT BERM LOCATED 60 FEET IN FRONT OF HIM.  THE LEFT SKID TOE SNAGGED A WIRE FENCE WHICH DRAGGED THE HELICOPTER TO THE LEFT.  PILOT, UNAWARE THAT THE SKID HAD HOOKED THE FENCE WIRE,  APPLIED AFT CYCLIC IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB.  THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT.  MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AT THE 270 DEGREE POINT.  TAIL ROTOR IMPACTED THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME.  SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE MAIN ROTOR CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.   PILOT AND PASSENGER EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES.

## 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 ERA15CA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA364), Sep 19, 2015: Hughes 269B (N141LL), Hartford, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and his subsequent failure to attain adequate altitude during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a wire fence.

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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