- Date
- April 23, 1986, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ft. Wayne, IN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8752FHughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860423013479A
- Case key
- 13450
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Approx 10-15 minutes after takeoff the student pilot lost control of the helicopter and crash landed into trees. Following the accident, the only unusual thing FAA personnel could locate was a failed horizontal stabilizer spar. Post-crash examination of the stabilizer revealed that it was a Hughes part extensively modified following manufacture by persons unknown. Several skin cracks on the stabilizer had been unsuccessfully stop drilled in an attempt to stop crack progression. In addition, all skin to spar rivets were nonstandard.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8752F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 52-0075
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carl A. Hardcastle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1985
- Departed
- FWA · Garrett, IN
- Destination
- 3C2 · Garrett, IN
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 104 total · 83 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
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 N8752F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.