# NTSB CHI86LA124: Hughes 269A, N8059H, Lowell, MI, April 12, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 12, 1986, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place: Lowell, MI
- Coordinates: 42.930313, -85.34082 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9303&lon=-85.3408&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 13447
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI86LA124
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/13447/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI86LA124

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of recent experience, pilot in command (cause)
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - autorotation - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - remedial action - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
- Propeller/rotor contact to person, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED TWO AUTOROTATIONS WHEN HE LANDED HARD ON THE THIRD. THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXED DOWN SEVERING THE TAILBOOM AND TAILROTOR. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT HAD LOGGED OVER 6000 HOURS FLIGHT TIME, HE HAD ONLY 51 HOURS TOTAL ROTORCRAFT TIME. HE HAD RECEIVED HIS COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER RATING SIX MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD LOGGED 2.5 HOURS HELICOPTER TIME IN THE PREVIOUS 180 DAYS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8059H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8059H-2013-02-27), registration cancelled 2013-02-27, S/N 36-0489 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A
- Registry model: [Hughes 269A](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (registry code 4470402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 36-0489
- Airframe hours: 3015
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-C2D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Grand Rapids School Of Bible
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 1986
- Departed: 24C, LOWELL, MI
- Destination: 24C, LOWELL, MI
- Airport: 24C, Lowell City, runway 36, 1,900 ×  ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,000 total, 40 in this make and model, 6,082 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: GRR, 9 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 19860412012799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860412012799A), Apr 12, 1986: Hughes 269A, Lowell, MI, Substantial damage. The helicopter landed hard during practice autorotation. The main rotors flexed, cutting off the tail boom.

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.