- Date
- July 14, 1995, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crete, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N88007Hughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950714018759A
- Case key
- 9944
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 clearance with the runway marker.
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
While performing a sideways taxi hover, the helicopter skid contacted a runway marker and the helicopter rolled over.
Factual narrative
On July 14, 1995, at 1500 central daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N88007, registered to Silverhawk Security Specialists of Lincoln, Nebraska, collided with a runway marker while hovering at the Crete Airport, Crete, Nebraska, while on a maintenance test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
The pilot had been hovering while the main rotor disc lateral balance was being tested. He stated the winds were too "brisk" to hover with a downwind. He performed a clearing turn and ultimately lined "the nose of the helicopter with the prevailing wind." The pilot began hovering sideways and after moving about 20 feet, the rear position of the right skid tube contacted a runway marker sign. The helicopter then entered what the pilot described as a "dymanic rollover." The pilot stated his view was blocked by the passenger and the right rear corner of the cabin structure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88007
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S1546
- Airframe hours
- 397
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Silverhawk Security
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 1995 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- CEK
- Airport
- CEK · Crete Airport
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
- 52
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 11,000 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N88007 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.