# NTSB FTW82DA195: Hughes 500D, N277SP, Amarillo, TX, May 27, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: May 27, 1982, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place: Amarillo, TX
- Coordinates: 35.690162, -101.82093 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6902&lon=-101.8209&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 27, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69760
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW82DA195
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69760/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82DA195

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of engine power, landing - flare/touchdown
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
  - anti-ice/deice system - leak
  - weather condition - high density altitude
- Forced landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - autorotation - continued, pilot in command
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS. WHEN HE ADDED POWER TO RECOVER FROM HIS EIGHTH AUTOROTATION, HE EXPERIENCED COMPRESSOR STALLS IN THE ENGINE AND A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED AND MADE A HARD TOUCHDOWN. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM. THE ENGINE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A TEST CELL WHERE IT WAS RUN UP IN AN "AS IS" CONDITION. IT OPERATED NORMALLY WITH A POWER OUTPUT OF 4.29% ABOVE THE MINIMUM REQUIRED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND EXCEPT THERE WAS A MODERATE AIR LEAK FROM THE ANTI-ICE VALVE. THE VALVE WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE THEN PRODUCED 5.95% ABOVE THE MINIMUM REQUIRED POWER. THE ENGINE WAS THEN COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED AND ALL PARTS WERE FOUND TO BE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 5100 FT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N277SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N277SP-1995-06-15), registration cancelled 1995-06-15, S/N 290461D (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 500D
- Registry model: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (registry code 4470706) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 0461
- Airframe hours: 2393
- Engines: ALLISON 250-C20B 375 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Southwestern Public Service Co
- Registered owner: Williams Steel And Hardware Co
- Departed: AMARILLO, TX
- Destination: AMARILLO, TX

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 3,883 total, 485 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command, 172 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 205° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 158 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: AMA, 8 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 19820527020419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820527020419A), May 27, 1982: Hughes 369D, Amarillo, TX, Substantial damage. During practice autorotation landings, helicopter made hard touchdown flexing rotor blades and chopping tailboom.

## Other investigations on N277SP (2)

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.

- [NTSB LAX93LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA261), Jun 19, 1993: Mcdonnell Douglas 369D (N277SP), Half Moon Bay, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilots failure to maintain an adequate clearance from the light tower and associated electrical power cables. Factors in the accident were; 1) pilot fatigue due to an excessively long duty day,…
- [NTSB FTW83LA421](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW83LA421), Sep 1, 1983: Hughes 500D (N277SP), Portales, NM, substantial damage

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.

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