# NTSB CHI00LA044: Hughes 269C, N58408, Salina, KS, December 13, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 13, 1999, 14:35 local (20:35 UTC) - Place: Salina, KS - Coordinates: 38.810062, -97.610992 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8101&lon=-97.6110&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report January 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48518 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI00LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48518/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow the published practice autorotation procedures, the improper use of throttle, and the inadequate flare. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - autorotation - simulated, pilot in command - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - throttle/power control - improper use of, pilot in command (cause) - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot was performing a practice autorotation. He stated that he began the practice autorotation by '...lowering the collective all the way and reducing the throttle setting to a point where the engine RPM and rotor RPM needles split. I verified that the needles split, but something didn't feel normal.' The pilot elected to abandon the maneuver and added power to recover. The pilot stated: 'As best I can remember, the engine and rotor RPM needles had syncronized [sic] and were at approximately the right clock position on the tach face.' The pilot said that at this time he was '...becoming aware of an extremely high descent rate.' The pilot flight manual for the aircraft describes the procedure for practice autorotation as follows: 'Split the needles by lowering the collective while maintaining throttle setting. The throttle correlation will establish a high idle rpm (approximately 2000 rpm) which will aid in preventing the engine from loading up or stalling during recovery. No apparent preexisting anomalies were detected with respect to the aircraft or systems. The pilot listed no mechanical malfunction in his written report. ## Factual narrative On December 13, 1999, at 1435 central standard time, a Hughes 269C, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain following a practice autorotation about four miles south of the Salina Municipal Airport, Salina, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot and his one passenger received serious injuries. The local flight originated from the Salina Municipal Airport about 1400. In a written statement, the pilot said that he began the practice autorotation by "...lowering the collective all the way and reducing the throttle setting to a point where the engine RPM and rotor RPM needles split. I verified that the needles split, but something didn't feel normal." The pilot elected to abandon the maneuver and added power to recover. The pilot stated that "...the engine and rotor RPM needles had syncronized and were at approximately the right clock position on the tach face." The pilot said that at this time he was "...becoming aware of an extremely high descent rate." The pilot said that he started the maneuver at about 700 feet. The pilot stated, "just prior to impact, I applied full up collective and full aft cyclic." The pilot flight manual for the aircraft decribes the procedure for practice autorotation as follows: "Split the needles by lowering the collective while maintaining throttle setting. The throttle correlation will establish a high idle rpm (approximately 2000 rpm) which will aid in preventing the engine from loading up or stalling during recovery. Conversely, when the collective is raised without increasing throttle, the correlation is such that only minor throttle adjustments will be required to perform a smooth recovery without exceeding 2700 rpm." The Federal Aviation Administration performed a postaccident examination of the aircraft. No preexisting anomalies were detected with respect to the aircraft or systems. The pilot listed no mechanical malfunction in his written report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N58408](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N58408-2006-07-24), registration cancelled 2006-07-24, S/N 109837 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 269C - Registry model: [Hughes 269C](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (registry code 4470504) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1090837 - Airframe hours: 1458 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bbi Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 9, 1999, 5 hours before - Departed: SLN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; airline transport, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 12,503 total, 112 in this make and model, 12,066 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SLN, 4 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991213041769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991213041769A), Dec 13, 1999: Hughes 269C, Salina, KS, Substantial damage. (.4)The pilot was performing a practice autorotation. He stated that he began the practice autorotation by '...lowering the collective all the way and reducing… 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. --- 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.