- Date
- May 31, 2010, 19:15 local (Jun 1, 2010, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cannon Falls, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N8897FHughes 269A
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100531005139A
- Case key
- 76177
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor speed during the autorotation, which resulted in an excessive sink rate and a hard landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after liftoff he noticed a “disturbing vibration” in the helicopter. He elected to initiate an autorotation to an open agricultural field. The pilot stated that he executed a 180-degree turn in order to avoid a tree line. He noted that the rotor speed got too low and he was unable to reduce the sink rate, which resulted in a hard landing. The main rotor contacted and separated the tail boom and the right landing skid collapsed during the accident sequence. The pilot noted that additional practice in autorotation descents and landings might have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that shortly after liftoff he noticed a “disturbing vibration” in the helicopter. He initiated an autorotation to an open agricultural field. The pilot stated that he executed a 180-degree turn in order to avoid a tree line. He noted that the rotor speed got too low and he was unable to reduce the sink rate, which resulted in a hard landing. The main rotor contacted and separated the tail boom, and the right landing skid collapsed during the accident sequence. The pilot noted that additional practice in autorotation descents and landings might have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8897F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 83-0274
- Airframe hours
- 3,265
- Engine
- Lycoming HO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 2009
- Departed
- PVT · Cannon Falls, MN
- Destination
- PVT · Cannon Falls, MN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 120 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- MSP, 25 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 890 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8897F · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.