- Date
- November 17, 1983, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Freer, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N50638Hughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831117057999A
- Case key
- 21210
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
The plt & 2 passengers were on a flt to look for deer in a pasture area. While in a turn after the last pass over the pasture, the eng lost power at aprx 150 ft AGL. The plt initiated an autorotative landing in an area of mesquite brush & bushes. He reported that during the landing, the helicopter touched down on a mesquite bush & then rolled over on its left side. An exam of the eng was made, but no preimpact, mechanical failure or malfunction was found. Subsequently, the eng was started & operated normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50638
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 811073
- Airframe hours
- 645
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ben Kotzur
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 12, 1983 · 123 hours before
- Departed
- T19 · Freer, TX
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 341 total · 75 in this make and model · 276 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 59 °F
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 N50638 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.