- Date
- July 20, 1986, 18:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1109THughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860720034169A
- Case key
- 22062
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
Reportedly the pilot was instructing the co-pilot in quick stop maneuvers, when the helicopter's tail boom and aft skids struck the ground on descent. The helicopter tail boom was bent 2 feet forward of the tail rotor gear box and both aft skids were broken. The pilot stated he was in a stationary hover when he heard a loud bang which caused the helicopter to spin and collide with the ground. However. The FAA inspector at the scene of the accident stated they were practicing quick stops and that he could find no evidence of any mechanical failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1109T
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1200856D
- Airframe hours
- 989
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 375 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dell York Development Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 19, 1986 · 166 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,109 total · 31 in this make and model · 1,268 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IAH, 17 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.