# Accident 20220402004879A: Hughes 269A, Fort White, FL, April 2, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 2, 2022, 10:29 local time
- Place: Fort White, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.9926° N, 82.7097° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9926&lon=-82.7097&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7057L, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7057L) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 269A (registry code 4470402, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA180) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220402004879A

## Narrative

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

ON 04/02/2022, N7057L, A HUGHES 269A HELICOPTER, (NOT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT), CRASHED AT APPROXIMATELY 10:29AM AT THE INTERSECTION OF STATE ROAD 47 AND SEDGEFIELD LN SW IN COLUMBIA COUNTY FL. THIS LOCATION IS BETWEEN LAKE CITY AND FORT WHITE.

BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NON LIFE THREATENING INJURIES DURING THE CRASH AND WERE TAKEN TO A LOCAL

HOSPITAL.

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM CANNON CREEK AIRPARK (15FL), A PRIVATE FLY-IN COMMUNITY EN-ROUTE TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN TRENTON FLORIDA TO ATTEND A FLY-IN.

APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WERE ENCOUNTERED. SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OCCURRED AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED 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 ERA22LA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA180), Apr 2, 2022: Hughes 269A (N7057L), Fort White, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to fly a visual flight rules only helicopter in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.