# Accident 20170610009439A: Hughes 269C, Tallulah, LA, June 10, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 10, 2017, 13:20 local time
- Place: Tallulah, LA
- Airport: Vicksburg Tallulah Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3517° N, 91.0278° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3517&lon=-91.0278&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7482F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7482F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269C (registry code 4470504, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 12,122 total, 40 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA229) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170610009439A

## Narrative

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

WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD FLOWN IN TO TALULLAH AND SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER TO ATTEND A GATHERING FOR A FEW HOURS. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT STATED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR TRIM HAD NEVER BEEN RE-SET FROM FORWARD FLIGHT CRUISE SETTINGS. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE PILOT CONDUCTED A SUCCESSFUL PRE TAKEOFF MAGNETO RUN-UP. HE THEN RAN THE ENGINE BACK UP TO ACHIEVE MAIN ENGINE ROTOR SPEED FOR TAKEOFF WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE LIKELY DUE TO GROUND RESONANCE.  AT THAT POINT THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND CLOSED THE ENGINE THROTTLE AT THE SAME TIME. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAULT DO TO HIS FAILURE TO RESET THE TRIM AND CHECK FOR CENTER CONTROL STICK SETTING PRIOR TO CONDUCTING A PRE-TAKEOFF A ENGINE RUN-UP. THE EXTREME FORWARD TRIM SETTINGS LIKELY CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO CONTACT THE BUMP STOPS DURING THE ENGINE RUN RESULTING IN THE INDUCED VIBRATION THAT LED TO THE GROUND RESONANCE EVENT.  THE VIOLENT SHAKING CAUSED THE MAIN TRANSMISSION/ROTOR SHAFT TO TEAR AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE ENTIRE FUSELAGE TO BE CANTED SLIGHTLY LEFT SIDE UP WHEN RESTING ON THE SKIDS. THE ENGINE ALSO BROKE LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNTS. THE EVENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SIGNIFICANT AIRFRAME/ROTOR/ENGINE DAMAGE. DUE TO SIKORSKY SERVICE BULLETIN ASB C1B-041 STATING THAT IMPROPERLY SERVICED LANDING GEAR SKID DAMPENERS CAN BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN A GROUND RESONANCE EVENT, THEY WERE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE SERVICEABLE WITH ONLY 34.9 HOURS TOTAL TIME IN SERVICE SINCE OVERHAUL WHEN INSTALLED ON THIS AIRFRAME ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGBOOK.

## 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 CEN17LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA229), Jun 10, 2017: Hughes 269C (N7482F), Tallulah, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to reset the cyclic trim before takeoff, which resulted in ground resonance.

## Other reports on N7482F (1)

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

- [Accident 19800603046119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800603046119A), Jun 3, 1980: Hughes 269C (N7482F), Dexter, MN, Substantial damage. Unable to recover from high sink rate descending from procedure turn. Believed settling with power, cause.

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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