- Date
- February 13, 1987, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Buford, GA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3782BHughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870213002699A
- Case key
- 7279
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was observed to slow down over the parking lot then continued out over the lake. A puff of smoke was observed around the rear of the engine area and the helicopter fishtailed as it almost came to a stop then dropped into the water nose first. It sank almost immediately. Examination of the aircraft revealed a hole in the crankcase. The fracture surfaces indicated an internal to external pucture. Further examination revealed a fatigue failure of a rod cap bolt and subsequent separation of the rod from the crankshaft. Extensive damage to the internal components of the engine was observed. The pilot was a low time helicopter pilot who could not swim and was afraid of the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3782B
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S/N750348
- Airframe hours
- 4,338
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-BIA, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Metro Flight Services,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Metro Flight Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · March 29, 1986 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- GVL · Gainesville, GA
- Destination
- Cumming, GA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,360 total · 59 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PDK, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.