- Date
- August 14, 1990, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Forks, ND
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N841LAHughes 369E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900814037129A
- Case key
- 14752
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 instructor pilot's (cfi's) delay in taking remedial action after he and/or the student failed to attain the proper touchdown point for a run-on landing. Factors related to the accident were: the proximity of the barracade and the student's delay in relinquishing control of the helicopter.
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
The instructor pilot (CFI) and dual student were making a run-on landing with the CFI riding the controls as the dual student flew the helicopter. The student was using the throttle for yaw control. Reportedly, he rolled off too much throttle, and the CFI announced, 'I have it.' The student was slow to relinquish and the CFI experienced difficulty rolling the throttle up with the student still on the controls. The CFI initiated a flare, but the tail rotor struck a vehicle barricade. The barricade was located near the approach end of the runway, and it projected about 12 inches above the runway surface.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N841LA
- Reported as
- Hughes 369E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0019E
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- University Of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GFK · Grand Forks, ND
- Airport
- 6NA9 · Sky Ranch Arpt, runway 35, 2,600 × ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,171 total · 140 in this make and model · 1,903 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK, 5 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.