- Date
- March 21, 2008, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin Furnac, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9333VHughes 269A
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080321835789A
- Case key
- 67867
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 fuel exhaustion during cruise flight and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot-in-command. A contributing factor was the trees.
Findings · 4
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 helicopter sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The helicopter was recently purchased by the left seat pilot, who did not hold a rotorcraft rating, and was being piloted by the right sear pilot at the time of the accident. The right seat pilot stated that he performed an autorotation on a hilltop, which was "sparsely populated" by 7-1/2 to 8 foot high trees. He also stated that the hilltop was the only available landing area, which was surrounded by "hostile" terrain. During the forced landing, the tail boom sustained damage on impact with trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed no usable fuel aboard.
Factual narrative
The helicopter sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The helicopter was recently purchased by the left seat pilot, who did not hold a rotorcraft rating, and was being piloted by the right sear pilot at the time of the accident. The right seat pilot stated that he performed an autorotation on a hilltop, which was "sparsely populated" by 7-1/2 to 8 foot high trees. He also stated that the hilltop was the only available landing area, which was surrounded by "hostile" terrain. During the forced landing, the tail boom sustained damage on impact with trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed no usable fuel aboard.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9333V
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 53-0207
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Left Seat Pilot
- Registered owner
- Left Seat Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PHD · New Philadelphi, OH
- Destination
- DWU · Ashland, KY
- Airport
- DWU · Ashland Regional Airport, runway 10
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 16,387 total · 275 in this make and model · 24 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 1,746 total · 3 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N9333V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.