- Date
- August 23, 2008, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bremen, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2256WHughes 269A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Columbus FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080823846119A
- Case key
- 69034
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 sufficient main rotor speed during the quick-stop maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the drainage ditch.
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 was practicing a quick-stop maneuver when the accident occurred. He stated that the helicopter's main rotor speed was too low as he flared for landing. The helicopter landed hard, bounced off the right side of the runway, and then rolled over in a drainage ditch. The pilot reported that his most recent FAA medical examination and flight review were completed in 2001 and 1999, respectively.
Factual narrative
The pilot was practicing a quick-stop maneuver when the accident occurred. He stated that the helicopter's main rotor speed was too low as he flared for landing. The helicopter landed hard, bounced off the right side of the runway, and then rolled over in a drainage ditch. The pilot reported that his most recent FAA medical examination and flight review were completed in 2001 and 1999, respectively.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2256W
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1181018
- Airframe hours
- 3,268
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- American Air Adventures, Inc.
- Registered owner
- American Air Adventures, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 2, 2008
- Departed
- 62OH · Bremen, OH
- Destination
- 62OH · Bremen, OH
- Airport
- 62OH · Willard Field Airport, runway 18, 3,400 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,471 total · 355 in this make and model · 3,236 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- LHQ, 10 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.